Land before Time&Legend of the Elements: New Order
by DonLawride
Summary: When two worlds collide and fuse themselves, the Luminia Kingdom is created. When a war ensues, will each species fight for themselves... or will they ally? It's up to the gang of five to join five more and defeat a rising evil.
1. Someone's in trouble

Hey there! This'd be Reefer, and this his first fanfic! Hope you follow our story and enjoy it! Please comment and review!

(If you wanna read the first part with some music, I'd advise The Legend of the Hero from "Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker", which I do not own.).

Prologue

"On the far, distant world…

On a continent…

There echoes a legend…

A Legend that speaks of a deadly treasure. The treasure was said to enhance one's soul and pockets…

The Treasure belonged to a group of pirates, fearsome pirates from the great seas…

Fearsome only on sea, this cost them their lives on shore, as they were killed by a merchant knight from the Reef Continent.

The knight wanted only the treasure.

Whilst he obtained the chest, he missed the key.

The former was thrown to the sea along with the pirates' bodies.

Knowing this, and even though the Knight eventually died, he left a legacy… a sword and a shield for his heir to fight the pirates' heirs and therefore proclaim the treasure!"

Archive found on Reef Town's Library

Chapter 1 – Someone's in trouble

Everything was calm near Reef Town, capital of the Reef Continent. Reef Town was a small town in a dug cavity in the Reef Barrier. Now, the barrier is used to maintain the waters of the great seas out of the town. Connected to Reef Town by a cave, the imaginatively called Reef Cave, the only exit to the outside fields or the seas for Reef Town, was another, curious building. It was also on a cavity, but had no barrier. Instead, a beach spread from one end of the cavity to another.

The building shone as the light from the morning sun reflected itself on its glass walls.

A huge, golden symbol made out of three triangles stood high above the ground, attached to the building. It had the letters P.B.P., the P's on the lower triangles, the B on the top.

Outside, it seemed that everything inside it was calm.

Inside, however, a low shout could be heard from the first floor. The first floor had a fountain, four doors and an elevator, many park benches and potted plants. The doors connected to the restaurant, the swimming pools, the Sports Minister's office and the elevator to the curious room called the Statue Room.

Suddenly, the shout became louder, and the restaurant's door bang opened, as a twelve year-old boy in a green and brown suit ran towards the red door elevator and pressed nervously the buttons for the second floor.

- I'm really going to get it! – He mumbled while crossing his arms as the elevator went up.

His name was Ruben. He was the all-duty guy from the company, P.B.P..

P.B.P. was a company settled in the Reef Continent to maintain peace, organize events and… well, receive the national bills…

The elevator stopped and the door opened, slowly. This only contributed for the boy's annoyance.

As soon as they were opened sufficiently, Ruben dashed towards one of the tidiest doors on that floor, the .B.P. Director's Office.

The second floor also had four doors, the secretary's, the "doctor's", Ruben's office, and the director's. The floor also had a few tables and shelves crammed full with books. Also, one of this floor's walls was a window with a beautiful view towards the sea, magnificent at sunset.

But Ruben didn't have time to enjoy all this: he waited while the director's automatic door opened, also slowly, and then walked very slowly to near one of the tables, disposed in a triangle. The director was sitting on the other side of the exit, holding a few piles of paper, reading them quietly.

- Da-Dav-vid? – He articulated – Did you ca-call me?

- Yes. – The other one answered.

He got up. Surprisingly, he was only eighteen years-old, and wore a green tunic.

- Could you tell me… - He calmly said, raising the piles – What these papers are?

Ruben noticed that David, the Director, had the Master Sword's scabbard on his back. The Master Sword was David's weapon of choice that he received with the charge of P.B.P. Director as his father passed on to him.

Ruben then turned to the piles. He gulped as he saw, even from the other side of the tables, the P.B.P. symbol on the corner of each paper.

- Its my…

- Yes…?

- My… _vacation clearance… - _He mumbled.

David sat down again.

- Vacation clearance… Not a bad idea at all… we're in the middle of a crisis, I'm full of bills to the top of my head, and you want vacations…

Ruben gulped.

- What do you think I'll answer to that?

- Er… no… - Ruben whispered, looking down. He stared up again as he heard the sword getting out of the scabbard. That cold sound. David was standing over the table with the sword held.

- YOU BET ITS NO! IF YOU GET OUT ON VACATIONS I'LL CUT YOUR HEAD AND GIVE IT TO EDWARD III FOR BREAKFAST! UNDERSTOOD?!

Ruben cleared away to the door as the sword eventually started to touch him.

- Ye-yes sir…!

- AND GET OUT OF MY OFFICE! IT GOT CLEAN JUST NOW!

David didn't have to ask twice. Ruben ran out of the office, stopping near the elevators, cut by Andrea, the secretary.

- Is he in a bad mood? – She asked, holding a few papers. Ruben would pay to see them, and would bet they were only the most recent news about Reef Continent's most famous bands. – I was thinking about asking some vacations…

- He's in a bad mood. Filled with bills. – Ruben quickly answered, going into the elevator and descending, without even waiting for Andrea.

"Why is it always me…?" He desperately tought.


	2. Escape

Chapter 2 - Escape

Hiya! Reefer here! So, how do you like the story so far? Here's the usual disclaimer: I don't own Land before Time and any other concepts similar or directly related to other concepts in my fanfic.

So, we're off! Please comment and review!

Chapter 2 – Escape

Water Castle – 19:30 p.m.

Water Castle. A massive fortress south of the Reef Continent golf. In mid-ocean. Over the Eye Rock Island. The castle was once used by Edward III to pump water into the Reef Barrage. Now, Flavius, the King of the Reef Continent, and Ana, the Queen, live here. Multiple guards of all weapon generations guard this castle. Here are kept the most dangerous of villains.

A protruding silence habited in the Water Castle's cells. Usually by now, Edward III, Reef Continent and P.B.P.'s most hunted criminal, would have caused an uproar that even Flavius wouldn't be able to settle down.

Edward III was the proven rightful heir of the kith of legend's weapons. His Golden Sword and Mirror Shield were his only weapons.

One of the guards walked by Edward III's cell, curious about what or why this peace was settled.

A shout was heard, and the alarm shot out ranging. Shortly after that, an explosion was heard on the upper floors.

As the dust visible from the outside settled, a person of about 18 years and red tunic shot out over a machine similar to a surfboard, maintaining its balance using a sword and a polished shield, as the board flew away using a jet.

Four Advanced Troopers quickly grabbed the laser guns and shot multiple ammunitions towards the flyer.

However, the person turned around and reflected the shots simply by using its shield.

The shots damaged slightly the walls of the Water Castle, but weren't noticeable.

As the figure turned around, it put the jet on its maximum speed and disappeared in the horizon, confused by other lights.


	3. News, good and bad

Chapter 3 – News, good and bad

Well, hey there! What do you think of the fanfic? Enjoying? Needs improvement? Please comment! Here's the disclaimer: I don't own Land before Time and any other concepts similar or directly related to other concepts in my fanfic.

Chapter 3 – News, good and bad

P.B.P. Headquarters, 20:41 p.m.

David left his office and took the elevator to the first floor. There, he headed to the restaurant.

Andrea, Patricia and Ruben already awaited him, although already eating their dinner.

They chose the medium table out of the two tables there, a square, wooden table, like the other one. A TV set was placed on a wall, next to the counters. Not many people were in the restaurant, though.

- I thought you'd wait for me to come before you started eating dinner. – David said, sitting down. He didn't have his sword with him, nor the Hylian Shield he also uses.

- I'm telling you I didn't see Andrew in the Swimming Championships! – Ruben shouted, completely out of David's subject.

- I saw him over a board there! Honestly! – Andrea shouted back.

Andrea, the secretary, was also around the 17 years, and wore a deep blue jacket over a white shirt and jeans. Her work suit. Also, she carried a necklace shaped like the symbol outside the building, a golden, triangular pendant.

- What are you two talking about? – David asked. An employee approached him and David made his request.

- If Andrew was or wasn't in the Swimming Championships last year. – Patricia quietly answered.

In the P.B.P. hierarchy, although she pretended to be a doctor, she couldn't avoid but stay in the vet's place, over which she had more knowledge. Patricia, or Tricia, like the others liked to call her, had around 16 years, and wore a light orange shirt with jeans. She carried a yellow knapsack, containing her many "useful items".

- Thanks Tricia… I guess… - David stopped as his meal arrived to the table.

"I should try to reconsider Ruben's vacations but…" David thought as he sipped the drink. "But I've got so many problems…"

He looked at the TV. An early edition of the P.B.P. made Web Journal was on, speaking from the Water Castle. David dropped the can he had on his hand and shouted:

- Everyone quiet! Something's happened at the Water Castle!

The five people on the other table stopped arguing and turned to the screen, as well as the other members.

- _…The known Edward III, hunted down by P.B.P. multiple times, has today escaped from the cell he was kept in the Water Castle. The guards don't know how the prisoner was able to escape from the heavy guarded cell, in a relatively quiet evening. The Rico Police, from the neighbour Rico Continent, have started the investigations on the explosion on the upper floors in which the villain stole back his weapons, the Knight of Legend's Golden Sword and Mirror Shield._

_- _Dang it! He always escapes! I've got to speak with that king! – David cursed, curling his fist and punching the table.

- You know as well as we do that those guards are worthless. They move a finger if they really have to, and the only efficient army is the Advanced Troopers. – Andrea said. – After all, we always catch him again, right?

- Maybe… but he always has a new trick at hand… I'm starting to get worried about what happens when he hasn't got any tricks at all.

David remembered the other times in which he, Andrea, Ruben and Tricia captured Edward III and put him into the Water Castle's prisons.

But this villain was no fool, he would whatever it would take to get the treasure in the Reef Golf. That is why he always comes back. Each try is even more desperate than the last one… what would come next?

- _…We had another breakthrough. It seems that Edward III, while escaping, was seen with an accomplice. Edward III was also last seen heading towards the Dark Forest, north of Reef Town._

_- _Accomplice? That'd be Gabrielli. – David answered.

- Yeah, they're as much as a couple by now! – Ruben agreed.

Gabrielli was already seen hanging with Edward III, no surprise there for the P.B.P. crew. She helped him in the hardest plans, and was a tough challenger.

- _We shall keep the Reef Continent informed about any breakthrough about the literal prison break._


	4. Eve's Comet and Dimensional Warping

Chapter 4 – Eve's Comet and Dimensional Warping

Reefer: Hey! Hop you like this chapter and the following! 'Cause things are about to get serious! So, here's the disclaimer: I don't own Land before Time and any other concepts similar or directly related to other concepts in my fanfic.

Chapter 4 – Eve's Comet and Dimensional Warping

David scrolled down the web page displayed on the computer at his office. It was about the recent events, and the page was webjournal.rn. The Web Journal webpage.

The journalists still weren't able to make any breakthrough. And they wouldn't, in David's opinion.

A small window was minimized on the corner of the webpage. It wasn't the usual spam, something different. They were headlines about the coming of the Eve's Comet.

- Never heard about that comet... – David whispered, changing the windows.

He then began to read:

- "The Eve's Comet is a rare stone said to be the bringer of bad news. Unlike ancient fears, it was confirmed the re-opening of strange portals in the Dark Forest. It is well known by all that the Reef Continent suffers from the Dimensional Fault, therefore vulnerable to anything that might open the portals to other dimensions, such as the Dark World, which has happened once.".

Edward III held a small, spherical stone in the air. Its grey colour became golden, illuminating the Dark Forest around the pedestal over which Edward III was standing.

- Lewis, the Dark Prince... Germana, the Psychic... I ask your aid...

- "On related news, the Mountain Village Elders Observatory in Reef Continent has confirmed that the comet shall orbit the planet for the next year, an unusual amount of time.".

The now golden stone gained a purple aura, darkening the forest for a few moments. Edward III raised his eyebrows.

- A portal... it's near...

- "It is also confirmed that Reef Continent shall suffer the consequences of such orbit." – David stood for a while, petrified. In a gasp, he quickly typed out the Reef Continent's Fault Chart. The Fault was exactly over the Dark Forest. Edward III was last seen heading towards the Dark Forest. – Dang it! – He cursed, picking up the Master Sword and Hylian Shield, leaving the office, computer on.

Edward III followed his instincts. Towards the direction of the portal. There.

- Where are you going? – A girl behind him asked, following him. She looked at a nearby bush, and upon seeing a pair of eyes, yelled and ran against Edward III. The former, however, did not react or speak, continuing his lead.

- Do you think that thing saw me? – A small male longneck asked a group of other dinosaurs around him. It was a group of five, a longneck, a threehorn, a swimmer, a spiketail and a flyer.

- Of course it did, duh! – The small female threehorn promptly answered – It yelled! – She continued with an evident accent.

- We shouldn't have come here, no no no! – The female swimmer warned. She was over the spiketail's back, as if riding it.

- Why, Ducky? – The longneck asked, leaning.

- There so many things we don't know here. – Ducky answered.

- Scared, is it? – The threehorn dared.

- Cera! Come on! We're stuck here! – The longneck interrupted.

- No we're not! We're still in the Great Valley, ok?!

- Me think they gone. – The flyer interrupted.

- Where to, Petrie? – The longneck asked.

- Me not know. Me go check. – Petrie then flew out of their hiding place, into the forest "hall".

- So? – The longneck asked, watching the flyer from the bush.

- Hummm... Wha...!

- Petrie! – The longneck shouted, as the flyer simply disappeared in thin air.

David quickly reached the top of the mountain, entering the Dark Forest. He entered a hall made of trees and a track eventually formed from utilization.

His thoughts rushed over the portals.


	5. Encounters

Chapter 5 – Encounters

So, hello, like the fanfic? Please comment and review! Here's the disclaimer: I don't own Land before Time and any other concepts similar or directly related to other concepts in my fanfic.

Chapter 5 – Encounters

- Oh, swell… - David stopped in the middle of nowhere. – Lost. This forest should be called Lost Woods.

- What is this…? A dinosaur…? – Edward III asked as he raised his eyebrows, looking at a small, transparent floating sphere in front of him. It showed a creature inside it.

- Probably… but not from here… - A woman answered. She was Germana, the Psychic, with around 20 years, on a tight, purple suit. Apparently, she was the one keeping the sphere floating, as she held a hand under the sphere, without touching it.

- We already noticed it's not from here, Germana. Where is it from? – Gabrielli asked, also approaching the petrified creature inside.

- From another dimension… - Germana answered after touching the sphere.

- How did it get here? – III inquired, notably curious.

- The Eve's Comet. That's the answer. The Eve's Comet is about to enter our planet's orbit. And this is only the beginning. The comet is yet to reach the planet, but when it does, multiple portals will open.

Edward III immediately designed a plan.

- And more of these will come, right…?

- Yes. It seems their dimension is also affected by the fault.

David hid behind a tree. He was sure to have heard voices. He put out the sword and assumed attack position.

- Where did Petrie go?!

- He can't disappear in thin air, right? – Cera ironically responded.

"What are these creatures…? Dinosaurs…?" David thought poking from the side of the tree.

- Well, now, who do we have here…? – A known voice said behind him, and a cold object touched his neck.

David turned around slowly, knowing what waited him. Edward III.

- What do you want?

- Drop your sword. – He ordered, pointing to the sword.

David hesitated for a few seconds, but dropped the sword.

He then noticed who was with him: Germana and Gabrielli. And the first one was holding a small sphere inside which was one of the creatures he saw earlier.

- What is that…? – David asked, keeping his eyebrows still.

- That? You wish. – Edward III mocked, moving his own sword a few inches.

A disturbing silence followed, with David and Edward III exchanging angry looks.

Littlefoot poked from a nearby bush. Four of those creatures were in a small meadow in the middle of the forest.

- Eh! It's Petrie! – He whispered to the others behind him, after seeing the flyer inside an object over one of the creature's hand.

- Really? – Ducky confirmed, approaching the bush.

- So? – Cera asked, impatient.

- It is him!

- Do you have anything you would like to say for the last time? – Edward III teased again, approaching the sword at the face.

David started to sweat. He had to find a quick escape besides death.

- Kill him already, III! – Germana shouted.

- Very well then… - III grabbed David by the neck with his hand, pushing him against the tree. He pulled the sword back and pointed at David's neck. – Die! – He shouted as he threw the blade against the David's neck.

- Petrie! – Littlefoot shouted, charging out of the bush towards Germana.

- What?! – Edward III shouted as he saw another creature.

Using the distraction, David pulled away III's arm and grabbed the sword with a roll, assuming attack position again, now with his shield out.

- Get him, Germana! – III turned to David, also assuming attack position. – I'll take care of this one.

- Hold this. – Germana ordered, giving the sphere to Gabrielli, sprinting towards Littlefoot.

III dashed towards David, as well as the other swordsman did. Both collided, holding their swords against each other, holding both with the shields.

- What are you doing here?! – David struggled to ask, while trying to shove away Edward.

- I was about to ask you the same. – III simply responded, although also having problems with shoving away David.

Finally, both shoved away each other, but dashed over into each one once again. However, both were now trying to hit each other by executing several cuts. It seemed, though, that all were blocked by the opponent's sword.

- Littlefoot! Get out of there! It's after you! – Cera yelled, also running away with Spike and Ducky.

Germana seemed not to run, but to hover after Littlefoot, who immediately sprinted out of the meadow.

- Cera! Go after Petrie! He's with the other thing! – The longneck ordered, while trying to escape from the creature's seemly deadly hands.

Cera hesitated for a few moments, but then took a shortcut into the bushes, running towards the meadow. Germana, however, ignored this and kept going.


	6. Acknowledge

Chapter 6 – Acknowledge

Chapter 6 – Acknowledge

Cera stared vaguely at the fight that stirred between the two beings, both armed with some sort of sharp weapon. Another being was watching, the one holding Petrie.

- This one's going to be piece of cake. – She muttered, walking inside the bushes and around the meadow battlefield, until she was behind the being holding the flyer.

She then pulled back a little ready to charge on the being.

- Get out of the Dark Forest! You have no business here! – III teased, rotating over his left foot and turned around, hitting David's sword when attempting to hit his head.

- You're the ones who are hunting those creatures! – David jumped back thrice, and rotated the sword once. III recognized that position as David bent on his right knee and joined the sword and shield hands. Horror stroke III's face – Final Slash! – David shouted, a shout that echoed throughout the forest.

Just as he said it, David dash-hovered towards III, and, upon hitting him, started to perform multiple cuts by spinning wildly.

- Leave these creatures alone! – David shouted yet again, once again echoing, now with the sword still.

After the shout, David strongly stroke Edward III with the sword, throwing him beyond the meadow's edges.

- Let go Petrie! – Cera shouted, charging against the being.

As Gabrielli thought everything had gone wrong and couldn't get worse, she was hit by something on her back, throwing her to the ground, with Petrie's sphere flying towards David. The former caught it and ran out of the meadow into the forest hall.

Upon seeing this, Cera ran after David, leaving Gabrielli with her face in the mud. Literally.

- Is it gone, Ducky? – Littlefoot asked from behind a bush.

Ducky nodded, unable to speak.

However, suddenly, another being ran by, holding an object with Petrie inside.

- Now it's that one! Let's go! – Cera shouted, running by. The other two dinosaurs nodded and ran after the threehorn, following the being.

Germana suddenly stopped. She felt it. Something had happened. And she knew what it was.

- That bastard lost against David again! – She cursed, hovering back to the meadow. She had left the creatures long ago.

Gabrielli's head was suddenly lifted by a white, gloved hand.

- Wake up, you useless help! – The voice commanded. It was Germana. – Where's III? – She asked in a rude manner.

Gabrielli simply held her hand and pointed to a track in the meadow.

Germana suddenly let go of the head, which hit the ground with a splash and headed towards the track.

On the other end of the track, against a tree, was Edward III, with a furious look on his face.

- This is going to be the last time David gets his hand on my business... – He muttered.

- Or his sword. – Germana interfered, grabbing III using her magic and healing his wounds. III, however, stood petrified, looking vaguely at Germana.

- Stand like a man you are, III. I have good news for you. Very good news... – A man in a black armour (similar to Ganondorf, to shorten) said with a shining purple aura on his eyes. Lewis, the Dark Prince.

III recovered his posture, putting way both sword and shield.

- What? – He asked in an offensive tone.

- Stop! Hey! Stop! – Littlefoot shouted, still running after David.

They had ran out of the Dark Forest, and were now near Mountain Village Elders, with Snow Spectacle within sight.

David looked behind. The creatures didn't seem too hostile, if any. And Edward III was nowhere visible. Therefore, David suddenly came to a halt, and the four creatures stopped against him, actually throwing him away for a few meters. The sphere flew in the air for a few moments, before landing on the hard rock, but not breaking.

The creatures approached the sphere.

- How do we take him out? – Littlefoot asked, putting a paw over the object and rolling it in the rock for a few moments.

- Ask that thing or whatever he is. He was with the other ones. – Cera muttered, turning to David, who had just now gotten up. – Speak up! How do we get Petrie out of here?

- What? – David said, turning around. He understood what the creature had said. – I mean... – He approached cautiously the sphere, under the close watch of the four. – I can't get him out BUT... – He quickly added – I know someone who can. Come with me.

- Why should we?! We don't even know you! – Cera continued, but Littlefoot stepped in.

- Cera, we won't know him until we actually introduce ourselves, right? – He gazed at the threehorn, who stepped back. The longneck then turned to David – I'm Littlefoot. I'm a longneck from the Great Valley. – David was about to push out the hand when he realized it wasn't necessary – This is Cera, a threehorn... Ducky, a swimmer... and Spike, a spiketail. And... – Littlefoot turned to the sphere. – This is Petrie, a flyer.

- I-I'm David... – He didn't know what to say. He had encountered many of the species in the Reef Continent and always knew what to say, diplomatic speeches even, and now he was wordless. – A... a human. – He continued.

- Please David, we need to get Petrie out of there!

David felt the need to do it.

- Ok... follow me down the mountain.


	7. Poisons

Chapter 7 – Poisons

Chapter 7 – Poisons

- I found a very interesting thing for you... Follow me... – Lewis continued, walking away.

- I don't trust this guy... – Gabrielli said, walking by III.

- You don't trust anyone, girl. Even in yourself. – Germana muttered, also walking away.

Lewis guided the group to a triangular rock, with a bright, water circle on it. It seemed very deep into the woods, by the darkness. Lewis's hand acquired a bright, purple aura, illuminating the area with a purple light.

- This is the Warp Rock. I found it earlier when I was coming to aid you...

- The portal I sensed... – III interrupted. – Where does it lead to?

- It leads to a land before time itself.

- Those dinosaurs came from there. – Germana informed, raising her hand over the circle of water. – They came from here.

III looked at Lewis with an evil grin. Both had caused havoc quite a few times together.

- I have an idea... follow me... – III ordered, jumping into the circle of water. He quickly disappeared inside it, and the water became immobile again.

With no choice, the rest of the group jumped in as well.

P.B.P. Headquarters, 19:30, Reef Continent Time Zone

The dinosaur group awed with amaze with the sight of the P.B.P. Headquarters. That shining, golden aspect was indeed the most spectacular thing to admire there. The gardens around it, properly cultivated, made the contrast with pure green.

David walked in, passing by the automatic door as it opened.

The lights turned on, but David immediately commanded: - Lights out!

Said this, the lights were turned off.

The swordsman was grateful that he arrived at the hour he arrived, just so he could find the headquarters empty for dinner time. He had to find Andrea, though.

- Come in. Quietly. – He said, walking past the fountain in the middle of the floor.

The group nodded and stepped in, and the door quietly closed.

David then found a problem. The elevators were too dangerous to take, for they might not be able to handle the weight of the five, or even if it did, people could be on the second floor.

Just as he was about to open his mouth. The restaurant door opened.

"Swell..." He thought for a few moments. He had seconds to act, before the lights would get on.

P.B.P. Headquarters Restaurant, 19:27, Reef Continent Time Zone

Andrea sat quietly at her chair for once. There was a reason, though. Ruben wasn't there, but in his office in the second floor, locked and asleep.

Tricia sat across the table, calmly eating her dinner.

- Do you know why David didn't show up for dinner? – She asked, calling the employee.

- Nope. – Andrea answered, crossing her arms.

The employee came and brought up a small, metal plate with a small paper over it.

Tricia looked at the paper vacantly and then pulled out her wallet.

- Food here is getting waaaayyy too expensive for me... Two stars and five crosses for a single dinner...

- Either that or David isn't paying us enough... – Andrea muttered, looking to the employee was he took away the currency and the bill.

Stars and crosses were the currency in Reef Continent. Stars were the most valuable, worth 10 crosses. Crosses were the medium, worth 5 rocks. Rocks were the money of the poor. They gave rocks in many banks in exchange for a cross. However, the rock had to be unique: the unique Crystal Rock found in the Reef Continent mines of Mountain Edge Village.

- Andrea, why didn't Ruben come to eat, too?

Andrea pulled out her pendant and held it over her hand, hovering.

- A little magic... – She said.

- Won't he wake up any moment now?

Andrea lost her concentration and grabbed the pendant running towards the door.

- Stay still, I'll come right ba...

- David...? Who are you speaking with? – A familiar voice interrupted.

The lights were turned on, enlightening Andrea and David.

- Andrea... I wanted to speak to you! But not here! Let's go to the Statue Room! – David quickly replied, pushing Andrea and the four other creatures into the room mentioned.

- What are those crea... – Started Andrea, but the closing of the door made her stop.

Edward III calmly walked over a fallen log, seemingly knowing where he was heading.

- Wait up, III! I can't use magic here to guide myself. – Germana explained, although still hovering.

- Go over the trees. It's easier for you. – III answered, pointing upwards with the sword.

Germana groaned and flew up higher, now above the trees.

- What do you see? – III shouted to Germana, suddenly stopping. Gabrielli collided against him.

Germana looked carefully at the horizon. High valley walls surrounded them. Waterfalls, beautiful rivers under a perfect blue sky. In the distance, in a prairie, was a herd of what seemed to be dinosaurs.

- I see their herds, III. We're close. – She answered, quickly flying to the nearby edge of the forest.

- Lewis, get back to the Dark Forest. – III ordered without even turning around.

- What?! – Lewis replied. A purple aura appeared around his fists.

- I need you to get a bigger portal. Enlarge it, find a new one, but get a bigger one. Really big. Mountain size. – III specified, continuing the exploration.

- That's impossible, III.

- No, it isn't. Try. We'll meet you in a few minutes. If not, go to the Dark Forest again and close the portal.

- But...

- NOW! – III yelled, turning around and unsheathing the sword.

Lewis hesitated for a few moments but immediately ran back to the portal.

- Not the best idea, III. We might get in trouble. – Gabrielli warned.

- It won't take long. Don't worry. – III reassured, continuing the trip.

Both quickly reached the forest edge, enabling them to view the valley's magnificent landscape.

- Germana... – III called. The psychic appeared by his side at the call. – Let's cause havoc.

- What's your plan...?

- You know it perfectly... you have just now read my mind... – III interrupted, taking out the scabbard and the shield and giving them to Gabrielli. – Keep those for you for your safety. Let us take care of the dinosaurs...

Gabreilli seemed to be about to reply, but instead, she sat on the grass, grinning.

"Does he really worry with me...?" She thought. A light breeze made her long, black hair flow with the current, as III and Germana walked away into the herd.

- Habitants of the Great Valley! – Edward III yelled in order to catch everyone's attention. The yell seemed to work, as all of the dinosaurs nearby approached the high rock on which III stood. – I have terrible news to give you!

- Who are you? – An elderly male longneck asked.

- That does not matter! Your hatchlings have been abducted! – He declared, opening his arms.

- If I'm not mistaken, Littlefoot, Cera, Ducky, Spike and Petrie are their names. – Germana continued. She was by III's side, floating, with her eyes closed and her arms crossed.

- Who are you to make us believe in you?! – A threehorn broke in.

- Germana, show'em. – III ordered.

- With pleasure... – Germana rotated once and disappeared, reappearing on top of a tree after another rotation.

The elderly longnecks pulled their heads back with amaze. The threehorn, however, didn't seem convinced.

- Watch your tongue, Topsy... I read your mind... – Germana muttered. Topsy backed away, but immediately reassumed his position.

Germana then rotated her arms a few times, performing a few difficult manoeuvres, and ended up pointing at a random swimmer, still with her eyes closed. Germana then closed her right hand, and raised it.

Just as she did the movement, the swimmer started to float gently in the air.

Germana then turned her hand in 360º degrees and opened her hand to the right, the direction she stretched her arm.

The swimmer violently crashed against the wall. Clouds of dust spread up with awes from the dinosaur crowd.

Germana then gave many turns to her left hand, eventually closing it and pointing to the place where the swimmer stood.

The swimmer immediately appeared out of thin air, and the dinosaurs backed away.

- I am one upon which you can trust, and your children have been possessed by the same magic bestowed upon me... – Germana had Andrea in her mind as she spoke – So you may choose... to follow us and try to find a way of rescuing your children... or let them die in their hands.

- Magic...? What is that...? – Many of the habitants mumbled.

- As I have said, that does not matter! – III yelled yet again – We need your help to find a way to recover them! But first, we shall also need your help to rescue them!

- What do you mean find a way to recover...? – The elderly male longneck broke in again. Germana appeared floating in front of III.

- Let me handle this... – She turned to the longneck – Your children have been abducted... you know as far as that... but your knowledge on magic is weak... if any. And what I can assure you is that if the one who cast the spell over your children was the one I most fear... Then there is no way to rescue your children...

The longneck backed away.

- What do you suggest doing then...? – He inquired, now fearing the answer.

Germana looked down, although with a grin. However, she turned to the longneck again with a serious look.

- That is correct. We must kill your children... and the spell binders. – Germana answered.

-WHAT?! – Topsy roared.

- Calm down, Mr. Threehorn. We do not know what has happened. They might have a chance! – An adult, female swimmer calmed.

- GET ME TO THOSE SCAVENGERS! I SHALL TEACH THEM A LESSON THEY SHALL NEVER FORGET! – The threehorn continued.

III grinned to Germana.

- Follow us, then, those who are willing to fight the spell binders! – III finally declared, pointing towards the forest. – Germana! Tell Lewis to open the portal!

Germana nodded and flew towards the forest at full speed.

- We shall defeat P.B.P.! Destroy it forever! – He continuously shouted, raising his arms.

Many of the dinosaurs in the herd started to whisper among them, commenting on what this strange figure would want to do with them.

Lewis was performing a series of difficult moves with his arms right beside the Warp Rock. His right hand then acquired a purple aura, and with a protruding shout, Lewis smashed the rock with his fist, allowing the larger portal under the rock to expand. Lewis then put his hand over the spreading portal, scanning what was inside.

Andrea put herself against the wall of the Statue Room with her arms crossed. David had already explained what the creatures were and who they were. However, he missed one last step: the sphere.

- So, these... I mean, they, want our help... to fight off III? – She concluded.

- Yes. – David answered.

The four dinosaurs stared anxiously at Andrea.

Andrea tried not to burst in laughs, but left out a small giggle.

- That's the most stupid thing I've ever heard! David, we're here to fight off III from the Reef Continent! Actually, as a matter a fact, we're only here to make sure he doesn't get the treasure in the Reef Golf Depths! – The secretary answered, now laughing.

- Take it the way you want, but they need help also because Germana and Lewis are back. – David showed the sphere in which the flyer was still trapped. – Germana trapped Petrie in a sphere. And only another spell binder can destroy the barrier. You.

Andrea sighed as she saw the sphere and heard the name 'Germana'.

- I don't know, David...

- Please...! You've got to help them! – David quickly replied.

The gang shifted their looks between the two humans.

Andrea seemed to hesitate on what to do.

- Another war is coming, right, David? – She inquired, looking up.

David nodded but also answered:

- Yes. Another war is coming. And I suspect he won't come alone this time. But not with Germana and Lewis. More.

Andrea looked at the sphere again.

- Alright... I'll put the spell out.

The gang's faces enlightened with joy. David handed Andrea the sphere as the former took out the pendant.

- The Emperor's Pendant is the only one that can free Petrie. I won't take long... Please stand back. – She asked.

David stepped back, and the gang followed him.

- She knows what she's doing, don't worry. – He assured.

Andrea firmly grabbed the pendant and held it under the now floating sphere.

- Lewis! Open the portal, now! – Germana demanded, looking at the water pond.

Lewis took out the hand and held both above him.

- I will need your help to also open it on that side. The portal is too big. – He said, closing his eyes.

- Got it. – Germana answered, closing her eyes as well, also raising her arms above her.

Both did the exact same moves, and both ended in the exact same position: with both hands joined in front of them.

The Warp Rock on Germana's side started to crack, and the portal started to expand as the water stretched along the forest, creating a lake. Germana was floating, so she didn't have problems with not having ground.

Gabrielli was on the edge of the lake, still absorbed by her imagination.

III and the herd stared at the forest as it was suddenly turning into a wide lake, with a single being over it. He then turned to the herd and proclaimed:

- Come! Let us fight off the spell binders! – III then jumped with many rolls to the ground, heading towards the lake in a styled march.

Many of the members of the herd immediately followed III, although others hesitated, commenting among them.


	8. A dangerous experiment

"Web Journal News: To what it seems, this is Reefer's first Fanfiction here. On related news, this criminal is searched for playing with Continent's Story and is also asking reviews and comments. If anyone sees this guy, please report to the local police, or tell the guy to simply run off."

(Disclaimer: In this chapter a few concepts similar to Super Smash Bros. Brawl are mentioned. I do not own any of the concepts or Smash Bros.)

Chapter 8 – A dangerous experiment

P.B.P. Headquarters Statue Room, 20:06, Reef continent Time Zone

A sudden light erupted from the Emperor's Pendant.

David and the gang tried what they could to cover their eyes as the flash faded away.

The flash seemed to have disappeared into the sphere, turning it into a lightning orb.

As it seemed to have stabilized, the sphere exploded into tiny shards that eventually exploded into dark auras.

The group opened their eyes again and looked at Andrea and what the orb had become.

- Was this supposed to happen? – David asked approaching the new object in the sphere's place.

- What is that...? – Littlefoot asked in a curious tone.

- Stone? – Ducky hypothesized, also approaching the object.

The orb had turned into a kind of trophy, a golden and shining stand over which Petrie was posing, in a light grey colour.

- Yup. He had to become a Statue before I could revert him back to normal. – Andrea explained, putting away the pendant.

- What is a Statue? – Littlefoot asked yet again.

- Petrie became a Statue. – David tried to answer both the questions the longneck had posed. – The Statue status is what happens to you when a Statue Stand or Statue Pedestal hits you.

- Or Dark Auras such as the woman in the forest radiated. – Andrea added, - It's a state of inertia where you can't move until someone touches the pedestal.

- So we can get turned into Statues at any moment?! – Cera launched out the panic.

- Calmed down, Cera. You have a certain resistance to Statue Stands. But not to Statue Pedestals. – Cera gulped again at David's addition. – But don't worry. There are only five Statue Pedestals in the world. One has already been destroyed, five remain.

- But there's more to it. – Andrea interrupted, making everyone's attention turn to her. – You can indeed be turned back to normal if what hits you is a normal stand, but... you stay as a Statue forever if a Statue Pedestal touches you.

- S-so... it's the same as dying...? – Cera fearfully asked.

Andrea simply nodded, making Cera's expression turn to horrible fear.

Noticing the pressure in the room, David decided to do something to settle things down.

- But don't think the Reef Continent is all but danger. Danger is everywhere nowadays. We just have to be careful, ok? – Cera nodded but gulped – There are also great things about Reef Continent. Really useful stuff. And to prove it, I'll show you some of them that we have here at the P.B.P. Headquarters.

Andrea gazed at him with an angry look.

- Eh! You never let us do anything there! – She replied.

- Andrea, we're in times of need. I don't let you all because... well... – David gave shift looks between the gang and Andrea – I'll tell you later. Now, let's go to the laboratories!

- Labora... what? – Littlefoot asked with a confused expression.

- Er... never mind. Just follow me.

- But what about Petrie? – Ducky worried.

- I will return him to normal eventually. He must stay like that for now. – Andrea answered, pushing the Statue to a corner in the room and taking out the pendant once more.

She then touched the pendant with one hand and then the Statue while she whispered a few words.

The Statue went transparent, blending with the background.

- This should keep the Statue hidden while we're out. Nothing to worry about, now. Nobody comes to the Statue room except us.

Meanwhile, David headed towards one of the walls in the Statue Room, unsheathing his sword. The wall had the P.B.P.'s symbol, the only object in the room.

The gang followed him, very curious.

In fact, the whole gang was now very curious on what might expect them in that big place, and what kind of things could happen there.

- I kind of like this place. – Littlefoot commented.

- Me to! Yup, yup yup! – Ducky eagerly added.

- I don't know... – Cera answered.

Littlefoot opened his eyes widely.

- That isn't usual for you to say. What's wrong...?

- Oh nothing, never mind, right?

- If you say so. – Littlefoot answered turning to David again.

David raised the sword and aimed at the small mark point in the middle of the three triangles, a triangular space.

He left out a shout and hit the mark with a bulls-eye shot. He then rotated the sword, which made the mark rotate as well. When a complete 360º degrees turn was made, he took out the sword and the wall slowly faded away revealing a long keyboard and a multitude of machines and a glass wall, with another room visible on the other side.

- Welcome to the P.B.P. labs. – David introduced, turning around.

Andrea simply passed by, but the group ran towards the many machines.

- Glad you liked the place. – David said, entering a corridor between machines. – You'll like it even more when you see what I've got for reserve here. – He added, pressing a few buttons, pulling switches, eventually turning on the machines. – So... who's the first to test? – He inquired as soon as he got out of the corridor.

The gang changed looks.

- Er... I'm not really sure if... – Andrea started.

- I'll go! – The five answered, cutting out Andrea's sentence.

David shook his head.

- Well, the five can't certainly go... – David scrolled from an end of the group to the other. – Ducky, you go. Andrea, go get the Growth Capsule in the Experiments locker.

Andrea sighed as the gang awed, except Ducky.

- Don't worry, all of you will certainly have your chance. – David cleared up. He sat on one of the twelve chairs along the keyboard and pressed a few keys, until a small passage appeared in the glass wall over the keyboard. – Ducky, go in, please... – David ordered, without turning around.

Ducky excitedly entered the chamber, positioning herself in the centre of the room.

- Initiate Oxygen Fill... – David said to a microphone connected to a headphone.

A few machines appeared from the room's wall, one of them sporting five oxygen bottles around it, recognizable for its blue colour and a big, white symbol on it, O2.

- Clear the area... – He added.

Another machine seemed to already be cleaning the air, by its vacuum cleaner aspect.

- Readying environment for testing... secure the access...

The passageway returned to a glass wall, with a passage aspect in the middle of the keyboard's length.

Andrea finally came in, carrying a blue and black capsule, about the size of a hand.

- How much is in it? – David asked, checking the capsule as Andrea handed it.

- It's twelve grams of Growth Pollen. It's relatively a smaller amount. – Andrea answered, also sitting on one of the chairs. – Ok, Ducky, I need you to stay still and breathe normally. – She warned through another microphone.

Ducky, however, hadn't moved an inch since she entered the chamber. All the orders David gave seemed too much of a complication for something that could actually let her have some fun.

- O-ok... – She answered, gulping.

- David, insert the Growth Capsule. – Andrea ordered as she received a confirmation.

- Capsule inserted. – David answered, sitting down. Even before Ducky had answered, David had already inserted the capsule.

- That's dangerous, you know... – She warned.

- Nah. – He put the headphone again. – Initiate Oxygen exchange with Growth Pollen. – He turned to the gang and took out the headphone. – You'd better sit. There's a better view from here.

The gang nodded and went onto a chair each.

The capsule was inserted into a part of a machine that was both inside and outside the chamber. The same machine started to expel a red dust into the Oxygen Bottle Machine through a tube.

The Oxygen machine then started to release the red dust around the room.

- What is this, David...? – Ducky frightfully asked.

- Stay calm, Ducky. Nothing will happen. Breathe the dust. – David calmed, putting his hand over a small switch.

Ducky tried to breathe, but all she managed was a cough. Suddenly, the coughs became a strike.

- She's suffocating, David! Get her out of there! – Andrea ordered.

- Full stop! Red Alert! – David yelled to the microphone.

Two air vents started to ventilate the dust out of the chamber. At the same time, the Oxygen Bottles reopened and oxygen started to fill the room.

- Breathe Ducky! Breathe! – Andrea tried, but the swimmer didn't seem to be able to inhale.

- Coming, Ducky! Try to breathe! – David shouted – Open the passage! Open up the damned passage! – He shouted again.

The glass passage disappeared and allowed David to go in and retrieve Ducky.

- Quick, to the restroom! – He yelled, running towards the exit. – Andrea, quick! You can heal her!

Both left the Laboratories, leaving the gang behind, speechless.

- Do you still like this place now, Littlefoot? – Cera muttered, gazing furiously at him.

- It's not my fault! – Littlefoot answered – It was an accident for sure! They'll heal Ducky again, you'll see. – He assured.

- You really trust these humans, don't you? – Cera replied back.

- I trust David... you should start trusting too. He was the one who saved us and Petrie back there. – Littlefoot added.

- Eh I saved Petrie! If it wasn't for me, they'd still have it! – The threehorn replied, stomping.

- You also helped, Cera. We all did.

- Oh, so now we're all heroes! – She continuously muttered.

- That's not what I meant, Cera! David fought off that guy, recovered Petrie, and...

- That does it! – Cera interrupted, walking away. – I also helped, and until I get some credit for it, I won't move from here! – The threehorn lied beside a chair.

- Cera...! – Littlefoot sighed. He couldn't do anything, now. Just wait until Cera calmed down and Ducky and Petrie returned.

A lightning erupted from the Dark Forest, and suddenly, the lake was filled with ancient creatures, led by three persons.

- You're back. – Lewis denoted. – With an army.

- Yes... – III answered with a devilish grin on his face.

The herd didn't seem impressed with what they were seeing. However, a threehorn, Topsy, stepped in.

- Where are they? You said you would lead us to them! – The threehorn roared.

- We shall be there soon! – Germana answered, turning around and yelling – Follow us, habitants of the valley! We shall cause havoc on those who abducted your children... and make sure they will never do it again!

Many of them growled in agreement, following the now four people ahead of them into the forest edges.


	9. The invasion has begun

Chapter 9 – The Invasion has begun… and will not stop

Chapter 9 – The Invasion has begun… and will not stop

(Disclaimer: I do not own any possibly imported content in this and forthcoming chapters, and any similarity with real people and others is not owned by me. Also, I do not own Land Before Time.)

P.B.P. Headquarters 2nd floor, 00:04, Reef Continent Time Zone

David on a chair by Patricia's office. He was unsure of what to do, but he let Andrea take care of everything.

He face palmed himself.

- How did this go wrong…? – He whispered, looking to the ground – I sure hope Andrea knows how to heal her… - He added, turning his face to the office again.

No noise or sound had been heard since Ducky entered the section.

And it wasn't hard to hear anything in that empty floor in the middle of the night. Especially if there were parties on the first floor.

David smiled with the thought. Everything would go well. After all, it wasn't the first time Andrea and Tricia healed a creature from another species.

- Somebody get me out of here! Help! – A voice yelled from one of the offices. Ruben's office.

David raise his head, slowly walking towards the office. He unsheathed the Master Sword and held it with both hands.

With hitch, he jumped towards the door and cut open the locks. The automatic door opened, revealing Ruben tied to his bed on a different section of the office.

- Help me! – He yelled again.

David face palmed himself again, but cut the ropes securing Ruben.

- You made me destroy a door just to get you out of a bed?! Who tied you? – David inquired, sheathing the sword.

- Andrea did! She made me fall asleep with a spell of hers! – Ruben picked up the Origin Sword, his white trusty sword, and the Hero's Shield he had on a nearby shelf. – Where is she!? – He roared, stopping at the office's exit.

- She's at Tricia's office... – David didn't finish sentence as Ruben was already charging towards the office.

However, he was suddenly stopped on his tracks by something grabbing the back of his tunic. He tried to turn around to see what it was, but he was pushed back towards his office again.

David used the shinning Clawshot he found in his adventures with the group to drag Ruben, stopping him as he was about to hit the full length of the chain.

- You can't go in there right now.

- Why?! I've got to beat someone up!

David looked around and pulled Ruben to the director's office as he said:

- Follow me.

- As if I had a choice... – Ruben ironically muttered.

David brought Ruben into the office, trying to explain what had happen lately.

III glared at the landscape. The shining building in the Reef Barrier would soon disappear, as well as the city by it.

- There! – He yelled. He was over a rock over the entrance of The Maze, a complicated dungeon in Reef Continent that spread along the land. – The ones who abducted your children are there! – III unsheathed the sword and held it high above him.

The herds were already in the Reef Fields' Forest Area near the entrance of the Reef Cave. The threehorns were particularly anxious to charge into the cave, lead by Topsy and Germana.

III seemed to be waiting for a sign, as Lewis kept a purple aura on both his curled fists and assumed a defensive position, right by III's side.

Patricia's Office, 00:30, Reef Continent Time Zone

- Keep the spell on her, Tricia. Concentrate. – Andrea ordered.

Tricia had both her hands over Ducky's chest, with her eyes closed. Her hands seemed to possess a blue aura.

Patricia was actually an apprentice of Andrea in the arts of the Emperor Magic. The Emperor Magic was the kind of magic Andrea learned with practice and a few lessons from Mt. Mystery's Wizard.

Both Andrea and Germana were already apprentices of this wizard, but Germana succumbed to III, while Andrea joined David.

Tricia was now trying to revitalize Ducky using magic, under the close watch of Andrea.

- Focus on her. Find her heart. Breathe life into it. – Andrea instructed.

- I... I... I found it... – Tricia answered.

- Release the spell. No worries, nothing shall go wrong if you miss the spell. – Andrea ordered again.

Patricia slowly took her hand to her pocket and took out a small, black and white device. She put it under her other hand and joined both hands.

- Breathe. – Andrea ordered.

Tricia didn't answer or even respire.

- Tricia, breathe.

The device gained a black aura.

- Dang it, the device is taking control over her again! – Andrea cursed, taking out the Emperor's Pendant and joining it with the device. – Petrify. – She whispered.

The device suddenly returned to normal, and fell from Tricia's hand.

- Breathe, Ducky. – She also ordered.

Ducky seemed to start breathing again, being the long sigh a sign. However, she still had her eyes closed.

Andrea then touched Tricia with the pendant.

Tricia, who seemed to have frozen, began moving again, picking up the Device.

- You still need to practice much. – Andrea warned, putting the pendant around her neck again – The Power Device can't overcome you. You should overcome it.

- I understand... its ok... – Tricia answered, putting away the Power Device.

- Come on. Let's go tell David the good news. Ducky managed to breathe again. – Andrea tranquilized, pushing Tricia to the office's exit.

- Chaaarge! – III yelled with his lungs, pointing the sword to the Reef Cave.

The threehorn immediately charged into the Reef Walls, destroying a great part of the wall.

- Do you understand it now, Ruben? – David asked again, after much swearing and inappropriate gestures. They were leaving the director's office.

- I think I do... – Ruben answered, uncertain.

Patricia's door opened and the owner and Andrea walked out, joining the two other members near the glass wall.

- So? How's Ducky? – David asked. However, seeing both wizards' faces, he added – Did something go wrong?

- No, no, why, who do you think we are?! Tricia here – Andrea patted Tricia's back – managed to revive Ducky!

- _What...?_ – Tricia whispered.

Andrea blinked at her and proceeded:

- Well, now, let's...

- Wait. – David interrupted, raising his hand.

He was sure to have heard a rumbling noise outside.

He approached the glass wall cautiously and looked to the exterior. He acquired a furious look and unsheathed the Master Sword and Hylian Shield.

Smoke was rising from Reef Town, as many screams and explosions were heard.

- What is it, David? – Andrea asked.

David slowly turned to the three.

- We've got trouble...

A loud scream was heard downstairs. David recognized the voice.

- Littlefoot! – He yelled, running towards the elevators.

The three others realized it was something serious: Ruben unsheathed the Origin Sword and the Hero's Shield, Andrea took out the Emperor's Pendant and Tricia the Power Device, and the group ran towards the elevators as well.


	10. Misunderstood Traitors

Chapter 10 – Misunderstood Traitors

Chapter 10 – Misunderstood Traitors

Cera and Littlefoot stared at the threehorns outside the building. The former were trying to ram their way in, slamming against the wall. Eventually, the glass broke, and a black and grey threehorn stepped forward.

- Cera! – He whispered. He didn't wish he met her so soon.

- Dad? – Cera called with a doubtful look.

- Mr. Threehorn? – Littlefoot repeated, calling the threehorn by its other name.

A tear rolled from Topsy's eye as he looked down, trying to decide what to do. Would he actually be able to kill the daughter he raised...?

- They... – Germana said, flying over Topsy. – They are already possessed. We are too late.

- It's her! – Littlefoot yelled, recognizing the psychic.

- We have no other choice, threehorn. It's up to you to decide what to do. – Germana added, floating away.

Topsy was now about to cry, facing the situation.

- It's for your own safety, Cera... It will be quick... – He whispered, now crying.

- Dad...? What are you talking about? – Cera asked confused.

- I... I'm sorry... – He whispered again, charging at his daughter.

- Dad! Why are you doing this?! – Cera yelled, also about to cry.

The threehorn was about to attack Cera and Littlefoot. The two closed their eyes, ready to face the inevitable death.

- Transvectio Veneficus! – A voice echoed, while Cera and Littlefoot vanished in a green, glowing light.

Topsy rammed into the many shelves in the room, destroying them into small bits of wood. Suddenly a creature appeared in front of him, a creature similar to the strange guy who told him and the herd everything.

- Hide in the Statue Room! I'll meet you there! – The creature yelled, holding a small, shining object.

The creature then raised the hand to the shoulders' level, and the object acquired a golden light.

Topsy, however, realized who this was: one of the spell binders!

- I will kill you all for what you did to my daughter! – He roared, although a few tears rolled from his eyes. – For Cera!

- Scuto Fortitudo! – The creature's voice echoed and a transparent sphere enveloped the strange figure.

The threehorn hit the sphere with all its strength, only to cause a few waves in the sphere before being projected back to the other threehorns.

- What is this...?! – The threehorn turned to the psychic, who had a terrified look on her face. – You didn't tell us anything about this!

- They have new tricks it seems... – Germana simply answered, floating to the middle of the floor, a purple aura on her hands.

- Germana! Haven't seen you for a while! How've you been? – The other creature ironically asked.

- Never gonna be as bad you will. – Germana answered, performing a few rotations with her arms, finishing in a striking pose – Vis Magice! – Germana yelled, floating for a few meters and stretching herself completely, releasing noticeable waves towards the other creature.

The creature, however, simply spun twice and disappeared enveloped in the same light the longneck and the threehorn did, leaving Germana the only creature in the floor.

- This is bad news. We must retreat! – Germana yelled, flying to the exterior.

Topsy glared at the place where he saw the creature. He had a tear in his eye, but was also happy for a fact: he didn't get to kill his daughter that night. However, he got up and yelled, also running to the exterior:

- Everyone heard! Let's go! Retreat!

The threehorn herd entered the Reef Cave, disappearing along with the other herds, which did not even attack.

.......................

P.B.P. Headquarters' Statue Room, 03:00 a.m., Reef Continent Time Zone

David sheathed his sword and put away the shield, as well as Ruben did with his weapons. Both were sitting against the wall, with their heads placed on their hands.

Andrea sadly looked at Cera. The threehorn had been crying since she was warped from certain death to the Statue Room. Andrea was standing up, against a wall as well.

Cera was lying in a corner of the room, alone, crying. Littlefoot already tried to accost her, but she always seemed to turn away and say: "Leave me alone".

Therefore, Littlefoot was right beside David, almost about to fall asleep.

Tricia was in the second floor protecting Ducky. Andrea let her there alone because she knew Tricia would take care of the job.

Silence habited the place since the face-off.

- Andrea... your name, right? – Littlefoot broke the silence, talking to Andrea. The girl nodded. – What will we do about Petrie? He's still a... Statue. – He continued uncertain.

Andrea sighed.

- I will try to do what I can tomorrow. Today, we're too tired. We'll stay here in the Statue Room for the day.

- What about Tricia, Andrea...? – David asked almost asleep and whispering – She's still up there... – Said this, David fell asleep, as his head tumbled to his shoulder, and not a word came from David except a low snoring.

- Tricia will stay up there beside Ducky. She knows how to protect herself... alone... – Andrea slowly sat, sliding down the wall and closing her eyes.

- Ok... I guess... – Answered Littlefoot, falling asleep as well.

Ruben and Cera didn't take long either, although Ruben had to hear Cera's laments. This made Ruben feel compassion for Cera, but he didn't want to try his luck: instead, he fell asleep.

.......................................

Unknown Place and Time

- What was your idea retreating, Germana!? – III yelled.

Edward III was sitting on a floating chair by a metal desk. Germana, however, was meditating near the desk, floating. The walls were filled with screens presenting many graphics, maps, cameras and the herds in a grass field.

- Those damned P.B.P. interfered... – Lewis stated, hitting the desk with his fists curled. They were quickly enveloped by a purplish aura.

- The threehorns didn't stand a chance against them, III... we must train them in order to make them able to face them... – Germana suddenly added.

- And how are we supposed to do that?! The herds are now spread across the entire base! If I visited each one of them, I'd say none of them has the potential to learn how to battle properly! – III roared.

- I'll tell you how... I recognize those who possess the small, fiery flame of Emperor Magic. If I can find those, I can teach them how to use that same magic against Andre... I mean, the P.B.P. ... - Germana said, joining the middle and index fingers of the right hand, making them glow in a purple light.

- Magic? That's your solution? – III commented, face palming himself.

- Not even the threehorn leader was able to strike those guys! Andrea will avoid anything just using magic! – Germana interrupted. The glow on her fingers disappeared.

- She's right, III. You can't beat them up using normal combat. And I bet a few of them can learn tactics. – Lewis added.

- We can combine both, my Prince... – Germana added with a seductive tone, approaching Lewis.

- I'm glad you like it... – Lewis sweetly answered with a dark look.

III shifted his looks between the two.

- You two have got to be kidding me...!

Said this, he got up and went through an automatic door there, nearly hid by the darkness that habited the room.

He entered a long hall with metal walls on which many purple and blue wires seemed to conduct electricity. At about half the height and to the bright ceiling, a dark gray glass window allowed viewing a gargantuan generator sparkling with electricity as water made a fan over it rotate.

III crossed the hall and entered an elevator.

As soon as the doors closed, he took out a small, silver amulet. He inserted it on the keyboard available in the small section, and then rotated it.

The amulet was shaped like the lines of an eye, without any filling. It was about the size of a hand, and the gaze seemed to pierce through anyone's mind.

The elevator started moving, and III retrieved the amulet, putting it away on his neck.

II didn't speak or move, as he turned to the door and froze while the elevator moved.

Soon, the elevator stopped, and III left the section, allowing it to return to the floor it was on.

III was now on an even darker room, since only a few screens were on the walls, showing only the Reef Continent map and a purple, sparkling mist.

- Show yourself... – III ordered.

Nothing happened. III took out the amulet again and pointed it at the biggest screen with the mist.

- Show yourself... – He repeated.

A shadow appeared in the mist, two shadows, shaped like hands.

- **What is it...? What do you want...?** – The voice asked in a terrifyingly cold, panting voice.

- What do you know about the Eve's Comet? – III inquired with no difference in his voice, as he put away the amulet.

- **I know of nothing... – **The voice answered.

- You are lying. You have something to do with this comet... – III insisted.

For moments, the voice only panted while the hands' fingers moved slowly, contorting itself.

- **The war is coming... You are the leader... you are in the front lines... you shall break true relations... You shall have no mercy...**

III's expression suddenly became heavy.

- What do you mean? Don't speak in riddles with me, Ruler. You're trapped.

- **That is correct, III... Let us see for how long... – **It answered, vanishing away into the mist, leaving his cold voice echoing.

The screen suddenly blacked out.

III turned away, mumbling:

- We'll see about that...

He opened the elevator and disappeared inside it.

The screen, however, acquired colour and the hands appeared once again, now shaped as hands covered with white gloves.

- **You won't get away with this... nor you, third, nor you, David... none of you shall remain... – **It said, the cold, panting voice slowly echoing through the room.

The hands then acquired a purple aura, and disappeared while blending with the background mist.


	11. Training Day

Chapter 11 – Training Day

Hey! Hope you're liking the story so far! Here's a small disclaimer: I don't own Land before Time, nor any other concepts that might be related to anything.

Chapter 11 – Training Day

P.B.P. Headquarters' Statue Room, 09:00 a.m., Reef Continent Time Zone

David slowly got back to his senses. He slowly opened his eyes to adapt to the light conditions. However, he didn't take long to realize he was in the Statue Room. A faint light curtain was all that illuminated the room.

He first thought what could have made him, Andrea, Ruben and two other creatures to be in that room, sleeping. Then it hit him: the battle in the previous night. The creatures were named Littlefoot and Cera. There was a Statue of Petrie in the corner, blended with the background thanks to Andrea's spell.

The first floor was destroyed by a big creature like Cera, apparently, her father. Germana was commanding them all. Reef Town was also destroyed, and the Reef Cave partially brought down. He would have problems with Doutour, Reef Town's Mayor, but that wouldn't be a problem. After all, Reef Town was already destroyed six times, and always brought back up. The habitants retreated to the Reef Hotel in the town, the most solid building there. They could easily reach it by using tunnels dug specially for that purpose.

Also, for once, he didn't have to worry with reconstructing the first floor: all there could be replaced over and over by a hologram. Even those shelves that were destroyed were simply realistic holograms.

He got up and walked up to the exit of the Statue Room. What he saw made him smile: everything was back to its place. There wasn't anyone in the floor, although the door was unlocked. The fountain was back to its place, as well as the few shelves there.

However, he remembered something else: Ducky and Tricia were still in the second floor.

Although David was sure that Tricia was able to protect herself and Ducky and being able to warp away in times of need, he needed to go check what had become of the swimmer.

Therefore, he entered the elevator and pressed the button that lead him to the floor he wanted.

.......................

Patricia's Office, 09:00 a.m., Reef Continent Time Zone

Patricia's computer shone as the light from the glass wall reflected itself on the screen. A few books were near the computer, over the wooden desk.

A wall and a door separated the office from the owner's room, where she was sleeping with her head over her joined arms, over the bed where Ducky still slept, now noticeably breathing.

Tricia was sitting on a chair by the bed, the Power Device in her left hand.

Above the bed, the air vent made a pleasant breeze flow in the room, making the door bounce slightly.

The air vent was the only audible sound until someone lightly knocked the door.

David didn't want to insist: instead, he just inserted the security code in the small machine on the wall near Patricia's Office.

The automatic door opened and David went in, calling Tricia in a low voice.

- Patricia...? You there...?

David looked around and saw the door to Tricia's Room open. He went in, slowly.

- Patricia... wake up... – He called, shaking the girl lightly. Not seeing any results, David tried again – Patricia... – He tried a little louder.

- Who... who are you...? – The swimmer mumbled, opening her eyes slowly.

- Good morning, Ducky. Glad to see you're well and awake.

- Who... are you...? – The swimmer repeated, before viewing the whole room. – Where am I...?

- Ducky, I'm David, remember...? – David tried, approaching the swimmer.

The swimmer tried to remember.

- David... Yes, I remember you! – She answered, trailing off with a blank expression after as a few voices echoed in her mind... she knew them...

_Initiate Oxygen Fill..._

_What is this, David...?!_

_Stay calm, Ducky. Nothing will happen. Inhale the dust._

For a moment, everything went black. A single, new voice came to her the next moment.

- You ok?

As if something had hit her, Ducky fell behind with a gasp and blinked a few times. David was staring at her with a doubtful expression.

- David, why are you here? – Patricia interrupted before Ducky could speak.

David blushed.

- I... a... ahem... I was just checking how both of you were... eheh... – He tried to excuse himself, getting up, ready to walk out. – Er... breakfast is about to be served down there...

- David... where's Spike...? – Ducky asked as he was about to walk out.

David froze at the door.

- Spike? You mean that one that let you ride on his back?

Ducky nodded with what seemed to be a small smile.

- He's probably down there and... – David considered the situation: in fact, why wasn't Spike with Littlefoot and Cera when they were attacked last night? – I'll go check. – He said, running out. – Aw, swell... – He cursed, entering the elevator.

.............

- We should be getting down there, Ducky. We've gotta go eat. – Patricia said as David was out of the room.

- Sure, let's go. – Ducky answered, jumping from the bed.

Both went out, heading towards the elevator.

...............

P.B.P. Headquarters' Statue Room, 09:57 a.m., Reef Continent Time Zone

- Don't... please... dad... – A terrified voice shook, echoing slightly in the room.

Littlefoot opened an eye. He was sure to have heard something. For a moment, he let the voice echo... until he got up and walked towards Cera, still a half-asleep.

- Cera...? Is something wrong...? – He asked. He had forgotten about the answer she gave him last night after he tried to know what was wrong.

The threehorn was turned away against the wall, shaking and panting.

- Cera...? – Littlefoot repeated slowly in a gentle voice.

- Get back, Littlefoot. – Andrea's voice was heard from behind.

Littlefoot turned around to see Andrea walking towards the threehorn, holding the pendant she wore.

- What are you going to do? – The longneck asked.

- Cera is having a terrifying nightmare about last night. I shall cease the nightmare.

- Nightmare? What's that? – The longneck asked again. – Don't you mean a sleep story?

Andrea got speechless.

- If you call it that... A bad sleep story, then. Terrifyingly bad.

Andrea bent and put the Emperor's Pendant over Cera's head. The pendant acquired a golden light as the gasps ceased.

- This should calm her down. – Andrea concluded, getting up. – We should be going out to eat. – She added, putting the pendant around her neck again.

- Good idea. – Littlefoot agreed.

Andrea shot a triumphant gaze at Ruben, who was still asleep against the wall.

"Now you stay here and I go out! Take that!" Andrea thought, raising her hand to open the door.

However, just as she was about to touch the door to open it, the door opens by itself. Doubting about the odd effect, Andrea looked forward before being shoved by someone who also fell over her, leaving both on the ground-

Andrea got instinctively furious and her hand acquired a fiery colour as she palmed the person and sent it flying back out, into the fountain in the first floor.

Andrea quickly got up and ran towards the fountain, her hands still glowing with a bright light.

- What happened here!? – Littlefoot exclaimed, confused with the speed at which events happened.

He quickly ran after Andrea to near the fountain anyways, trying to understand what had happened.

However, before both could reach the fountain, someone jumped out of it, a sword shining in its hands, as it flew towards Andrea, ready to stab her from above.

Andrea, though, simply rose a hand on which was the pendant and the same, spherical halo from last night enveloped her.

The swordsman fell on the magical shield, but the sword opened a small crack on it, although the warrior was soon thrown back into the fountain, now under Andrea's accurate, glowing hands.

- Did you really have to do that!? You almost got us both killed! – The swordsman replied, standing up, its green tunic completely wet.

- David? What the heck was that for!? – Andrea also replied, lowering her hands.

- We've got trouble! – He answered, jumping out of the fountain, twisting the tunic to get it dry.

- Here, let me help you out… - Andrea offered, placing her hand over the tunic.

She closed her eyes for a few moments as David started to feel the heating of the tunic. Shortly afterwards, the tunic was dry, and David had its sword and shield put away.

- You were saying, David? What problems do we have? – Littlefoot uneasily asked.

- I mean, I don't know if it's real problems, but I do know that…

- David! – Ruben's voice interrupted as the other swordsman exited the Statue Room, running.

- Can't someone finish a sentence around here today!? What is it, Ruben?

- I found a Statue! In the labs! – He said between gasps.

Andrea and David exchanged worried looks.

- Do you know who's Statue it is? – David asked.

Ruben looked sadly to Littlefoot.

- It's Spike's. – He said after a quick hesitation.

Littlefoot and Andrea gasped while David face palmed himself.

- What is it, David? – Andrea noted.

- Ducky was looking for Spike. She was the one who asked me about him. – David explained.

- What did I do? – Ducky's voice was heard in the elevator area.

David opened widely his eyes.

"Swell…" He thought, turning around.

- We found Spike's Statue. – Andrea quickly answered.

David turned to the secretary and face palmed himself.

- Now you did it… - He mumbled, although incomprehensibly.

Ducky started to gasp as she started to grab Patricia's leg.

- His… - Ducky gulped – Statue…?

Ruben sadly shook his head in confirmation.

Just about then, Ducky was crying against Tricia, who hold here by the back.

- Can't you do anything, Andrea? – David asked, but added – Something _right_?

- I don't know how Spike became a Statue, but I'll try to turn him back to normal. – Andrea answered with a frown. David answered with a glare.

- Do it. For now, Ruben and I will a little chat… with you too, Littlefoot. – He said, unsheathing the sword. – Meet me at the Simulator in the basement. – He said, walking towards the elevators.

Andrea nodded and called out Tricia and Ducky to the Statue Room and into the laboratories.

.............................

P.B.P. Headquarters' Laboratories, 10:56 a.m., Reef Continent Time Zone

Andrea sighed with the sight.

After rigorous analysis, her worst fear was proven correct: Spike was turned into a Statue by Darkness Waves. From Germana.

- How did he get turned into a Statue and Littlefoot, Ducky and Cera weren't? – Patricia asked, sitting on one of the chairs.

Ducky had been staring sadly at Spike's Statue, with the spiketail over it in the midst of a smile, in a stone-grey colour. This slightly raised the swimmer's spirit.

- Well, let's see… - Andrea started sitting on a chair in the laboratories. – Littlefoot was with David, and David is protected by the Master Sword from the darkness Waves… Cera was with Ruben meaning Ruben was protected by the Origin Sword… Ducky… well, she was with you, right? – Andrea asked.

Tricia thought for a short moment, but then she remembered.

- No, I was with you. – She answered, a decided tone in her voice. She pointed to Andrea as she spoke.

- What? Then… how did she… - Andrea was interrupted by a sudden golden glimmer behind her and Tricia's perplex expression. – What?

Tricia pointed to something beyond Andrea's vision field.

- Spa-Spike… Du-Ducky… Sta-Statue… - She tried to speak, but her joy wouldn't let her.

Her expression, of course, could be read like a book: Patricia's beaming joy stamped in her face, as she had her mouth wide opened.

Andrea turned around to the place where Patricia was pointing out and went perplex as well.

**Spike **wasn't a Statue anymore, he was back to normal. Ducky was standing right in front of him, her hand stretched to where the pedestal under the Statue would be, petrified.

- Spike…? – She quietly asked, still unable to move.

Spike simply groaned happily and nodded.

Ducky raised her head and almost exploded with delight.

- It is you! It is! It is! – She yelled, jumping onto him.

- How did you do that, Ducky?! – Andrea asked, still stunned.

- Yeah, Ducky?! How did you turn Spike back to normal?! – Patricia added.

- I… I don't know! – Ducky admitted. – But he's back! That's great, huh?

Andrea closed her mouth. She had a thought, a simple idea.

"Does Ducky possess… Emperor's Magic…?" She thought.

She then got up and told Ducky to jump back to the ground.

- I'll do a simple test on you to prove something… - Andrea put both hands in front of her and slowly a halo sphere appeared between her hands. – Now, stretch both your arms. – She ordered.

Ducky stretched out her arms and opened her hands as Andrea had them.

Andrea then closed her eyes and a single, small flame appeared inside the sphere. She then opened her eyes and slowly approached the flame to Ducky's hands.

"She's testing her magic…" Tricia recognized the test Andrea also did to her once.

- I need you to concentrate in the flame, Ducky. Do not fear anything, you shall not be burned by it… concentrate on the flame… - Andrea whispered.

Ducky gulped but closed her eyes and tried to concentrate on the flame.

Andrea fitted the flame inside Ducky's hands, but did not let go.

- You shall not fear the flame… - Andrea whispered again.

Then, she let go the flame and backed off.

For Patricia's surprise, Ducky was holding the flame between her hands, the flame was floating between her hands, as if Ducky was holding a small string that kept the flame there, burning in midair. Even Spike groaned. Andrea smiled at the result.

- You may open your eyes, Ducky. It's over now. – She said.

Ducky slowly opened her eyes and looked at her hands. She gasped as she saw the flame between her hands and lost concentration, making the flame disappear. Ducky jumped towards Spike in fear.

Andrea simply laughed at this.

- We'll have to practice that out. But it does seem, Ducky, that you… - Andrea bent to reach out Ducky – You posses the Emperor's Magic inside you. – Andrea stood up again. – I don't know how, I don't know why.

- Emperor's Magic…? Me…? – Ducky shook her head – I don't even know what it is!

- Well, that's something we'll also work out. From now on, you and Patricia will practice with the Emperor's Magic.

Tricia was about to argue, but Andrea held her hand.

- Shush! No excuses! She's your new apprentice, Patricia! Your first one, actually!

- But I don't even have the complete course!

- Well, I think you're more than ready to face a student of yours. So… will you accept? – Andrea asked. It could have had the tone she expected: very rough.

Patricia was trying to choose her words, but only managed:

- Ok… but first you've got to help me find her object. – Patricia now ordered.

- What object? – Ducky asked, curious.

- Well, each and every one that possesses the Emperor's Magic must have a special object which that person can use to conduct the magic. But it's no easy task.

- Translation…? – Patricia asked, crossing her arms.

- Well, you found your object because Edward III had it. Germana conducts her magic with the Dark Crystal. I was given the Pendant by my mentor. – Andrea added.

- Still ain't getting the point.

- To shorten, we must go and search your object, Ducky.

- Where? Where? Where? – She repeated.

- Yeah, Andrea, where?

Andrea hesitated between joy and seriousness.

- Mountain Mystery. – She answered.

- Are you insane or something?! How are we going to scale Mt. Mystery?! – Patricia replied.

- Well, for starters, not us. You two are. – Patricia was left mouth open, and about to reply when Andrea added: - And now, I'm not insane. Mt. Mystery isn't the Ultimate Fortress of Defence, is it? You can climb it, don't worry. – Patricia was about reply again when Andrea once again added: - And you won't depart right now. First you've got to train Ducky for any eventual problem.

- Where will we train…? – Patricia asked, giving in.

- Well… the Simulator will be occupied, it seems, so… I guess you two will have to train outside. You know, fresh air. – Andrea joked.

- Ok… But I still think you would be a better mentor than me… but… - Patricia assumed a decided pose. – Ok, then! Ducky! You and I will train for you to become known in the Emperor's Magic History!

Ducky nodded in agreement, although most of what Patricia said was incomprehensible.

- Let's go, Spike!

- Hum, by the way… - Andrea interrupted. – I'll need Spike.

Spike and Ducky exchanged sad looks.

- Don't worry, Spike, she'll be back before you notice. – Andrea calmed.

Ducky didn't want to leave Spike there. However, she had to learn the magic and Andrea needed Spike.

- I won't take long, Spike. – She calmed, patting the spiketail on the back.

Spike groaned in disapproval, but lowered his head to let Ducky slide down.

Ducky slid down and followed Patricia outside, leaving him alone with Andrea.

- Now, there's something I would also like to test on you, Spike. – Andrea said.

Spike tilted his head.

His face could be translated in: "What?"

............................

David took a few chips from his office desk's drawer and put them on his belt, as well as a few strange, golden five-point star shaped object.

- This should do the trick. – He assumed, leaving towards the door.

He went out of the office and entered the elevator.

After typing a certain number combination on a keyboard in the section's wall, the elevator quickly descended, and shortly afterwards opened its doors.

David left the elevator.

He was now on a fully equipped, wide laboratory machines everywhere, but one of them, the biggest, stood out from them all.

A cubical machine, completely white, with Ruben and Littlefoot by it, near the wide keyboard. It was the Simulator.

- So, ready for all? – David asked, taking out the chips and inserting them on the machine. He also took out the star shaped objects and inserted them in a star shaped cavity on the wall.

As soon as the stars were inserted, the room started to flash with activity. All the machines around them started working, and the keyboard acquired a blue light. The Simulator became light-red coloured, and various pipes were filled with a blue liquid.

- Five Power Stars? You're going to take the building down with so much energy! – Ruben commented.

- For your information, wise guy, the building can stand up to one hundred Power Stars, least! – David replied.

- Ah, no, I was talking about the bills! Man, will we go to bankrupt or what?

- Right now, my mind's on the simulator, but when you and I are in there, I'll pierce you apart. – David replied again.

- So scary… start it up, already.

- You two surely discuss, huh? – Littlefoot noted.

- And you haven't seen anything. – David answered. He pressed a few buttons and turned to Ruben. – Its ready.

- Oh yeah! We're in! – Ruben shouted.

David lead Ruben and Littlefoot to a small cabin near the Simulator. As all were in, David closed the door, and a sudden flash appeared.

As quick as it appeared, it disappeared, and nobody was inside the cabin anymore.


	12. PBP acts

Reefer: Howdy! This is Reefer, from the P.B.P. led Web Journal! I hope you're enjoying the fanfic so far! Just to make a small disclaimer, here! I own neither Land before Time nor any concepts that might be similar to mine! That being said, please review and comment!

Also, by the way, these first few chapters are only an intro to the whole complex story, so, please drop by frequently!

Chapter 12 – Littlefoot and Ducky's practice; Cera's subjugation

Simulator, 12:00, P.B.P. Headquarters Simulator's Internal Clock

As everything around the three turned white, David and Ruben unsheathed their swords. Littlefoot shift his look between the two swordsmen as the background turned into a wide plain of nothing but a black floor.

- Where are we? – Littlefoot asked, staring around.

- Wait a bit... – David answered, looking up.

Suddenly, a small sparkle appeared at what seemed many meters above him, until the sparkle exploded and the three were now on a field, a rock field.

David stepped forward and slowly took in a deep breath. He then swung the sword twice, before turning around with a challenging look to Ruben. He held the sword at his shoulders level and pointed it at the other swordsman.

- Face me. – David defied with a challenging grin on his face.

Ruben smiled as well before assuming attack position. However, he didn't have time to even say anything, as David literally blasted towards him with surprising speed and started to deal many consecutive hits on the defenceless target: Ruben.

- You ain't got the power! – David shouted as he was preparing to deal the final strike. Ruben still couldn't move.

Littlefoot looked at both with a joyful smile.

"I think we really are well protected by them." He thought.

David then pulled the sword back, as the blade assumed a golden colour.

- Too easy! – David shouted, swinging the sword imperceptibly fast towards Ruben.

However, Ruben blocked the hit with the Origin Sword, which now shone a golden colour as well.

- Not yet, David! – Ruben shouted, manipulating David's blade with the Origin Sword by using rotations. He then pulled the Origin Sword away from the Master Sword, as Ruben now started his turn of hits.

David however, seemed to easily block them, as many sparks flew through the air as the two blades collided.

- You've still got to improve, Ruben! – David tipped off.

- We'll see! – Ruben replied.

At that moment, David blocked one of Ruben's hits using the Hylian Shield, forcing him to pull back, which gave David another opportunity to attack the defensive gap.

So he did, flying towards Ruben again, dealing him speedier strikes.

Once again, Ruben was unable to move, still stunned by the consecutive hits.

- Final Slash! – David shouted, holding the sword up, charging the hit.

Shortly after, David swung the sword vertically at dazzling speed and with deadly strength, throwing Ruben away.

The swordsman flew away, stopping as he hit a rock into which he made a small crater shaped like a circle. The impact caused the rise of a dust cloud, which quickly settled down as they were in the Simulator; to reveal Ruben lying down on the grass, face down.

David, viewing the results, swung the sword twice again and held it at his shoulders' level once again, pointing it at Ruben.

- You're out. – He announced, sheathing the sword, now panting. He turned towards Littlefoot and asked with difficulty: - So, did you like it?

The longneck took a short while to understand what had just happened, but then quickly replied, excited:

- Yeah! How'd you do that?! – He asked, anxious.

- Company secrets AND a little help from my sword. – David answered. – But enough of that. Now, it's your turn to demonstrate your skills. – He added. Littlefoot tilted his head.

- How? I mean... here? – Littlefoot asked, uncertain of what to say.

David answered with a grin.

"He's up to something..." Littlefoot thought as he saw David's look.

P.B.P. Headquarters' Gardens, 11:37, Reef Continent Time Zone

- Ducky, do as I say: concentrate on your own capacities. – Tricia tried.

However, and although both were there, training, for what now reached the two hours, Ducky couldn't still cast even the simplest spell: illumination.

The swimmer tried once again, holding up her hand and firm finger pointed at the sand on the beach in front of the P.B.P. Gardens.

With no results, Ducky sighed.

- I'm sorry, Tricia, I am, I am! – She apologized, lowering her head.

Tricia also sighed.

- I know, Ducky, it's not your fault... – She replied, sitting on the sand.

Ducky sadly looked at the apprentice.

"I wish I could do what she is telling me..." Ducky thought, clenching her hands.

- You know, I also went through that, once. – Tricia started, throwing Ducky out of her thoughts. – Andrea told me that I should trust my instincts and try to cast one of the spells on my own space...

- Your own space? – Ducky asked, also sitting down.

Tricia giggled.

- Yeah... I mean, the place where you actually feel comfortable, where you can actually think that you can do it, the place that gives you the courage you need... – She explained.

- And what is your space, Tricia? – The swimmer asked again.

- My space? – Tricia hesitated, looking up. – I guess that would be the outside world... The wide open in general... Maybe you should try to find your own space so you can practice...? – Tricia hypothesized, turning her look to Ducky.

Ducky answered the look.

- My own space...? – She thought aloud – What better place for a swimmer than the water...?

- That's it! Water! That's where you feel you're on your space! – Tricia piped up, standing up with a jump.

- But I don't even know what...

- That isn't necessary! Come on! – Tricia interrupted, pushing Ducky into the shore's water.

Ducky couldn't react, letting herself be carried away.

- _**Cera... – **_A voice echoed from deep within the darkness.

Cera looked around, trying to find the voice's origin. She knew it was her father's. She knew it!

- Where are you?! – She shouted to the darkness.

- _**There is no time... – **_The voice answered. – _**You must come to the Sirena Waterfalls as fast as you can...**_

_**- **_Are you there?!

- _**My time is... running...out... quickly... go to the Sirena Waterfalls... – **_The voice ordered in a weak voice.

- Dad! What's happening to you?! Dad?! Daaa...!

- ...aaad! – Cera shouted, opening her eyes. She wasn't in the darkness anymore. – Huh? Where am I...? – She thought aloud. – Oh yeah... the I-don't-know-what room...

- _**Cera... – **_A cold voice echoed in the room.

Cera suddenly stood up, waving her head around.

- _**Sirena Waterfalls... – **_The voice echoed again, now fading away.

- I know! I know! I'll go there! – Cera suddenly realized something: she didn't know where or what the Sirena Waterfalls were. – But how can I get there?! – She shouted to the walls.

_**- **__**I shall be your guide... – **_The voice answered. A shade appeared on the ground in front of her, starting to move out of the room. After realizing she wasn't seeing things she shouldn't, she ran after the shadow, out of the building into the Reef Cave. She was relieved no-one was there to see her: they would go nuts and run after her. And she couldn't allow that, could she?

Reef Fields' Forest Route, Unknown Time

The shade then guided Cera across the Reef Cave, exiting on a meadow.

- Dad? Where are you? – She yelled, looking around.

The different shapes of shadows in the forest were easily mistaken by the shade she was following.

- _**I am here... – **_The voice said behind Cera.

The threehorn turned around and glimmered at the sight. Her father was standing behind here, his eyes colourless and his dark body slightly transparent.

- Are you really here...?! – Cera piped up, walking towards the other threehorn. However, just as she was about to touch her father... she passed through the threehorn. Cera couldn't believe what had just happened – Dad... are you here...?

- _**Follow me, Cera... – **_The threehorn said in a cold, gasping voice.

Although the female threehorn could barely believe on what had happened, she followed him into the forest.

An intriguing being stood high above the floor of the Forest Route, on one of the many trees. A shady creature, unidentifiable because of the sun's shadow effect.

- Very interesting... – It mumbled, opening its wings and flying away towards the mountains.

Simulator, 12:15, P.B.P. Headquarters Simulator's Internal Clock

David stabbed the sword into the ground and slowly approached Littlefoot, extending his gauntlets.

- Littlefoot... – He said, tapping the back of the longneck's head – you shall find your skills by practicing. Train. Learn. Acquire. Prevail over your opponents. Reign the battlefield in which you shall one day fight.

Although David's words were precise, they had a deep impact in Littlefoot. The longneck first stood petrified for a few moments, absorbing the words from the strange creature by him.

However, as he understood what he had to accomplish, it was as if something new grew in him.

David pulled the sword from the ground and held it towards the sky.

- I see you understand what you have to do... so... – The swordsman lowered the sword and pointed it at Littlefoot. His eyes almost crossed trying to look to the sharp blade. – Let the training begin!

David's words echoed throughout the Simulator, as he took out of one of the bags he kept on his many belts a small machine similar to a remote controller.

- This is what I'll use to give you the equality _you _need to out beat those other creatures. – David froze for a few instants. – Or at least here. Outside it's not so easy. – He corrected, sheathing the sword.

Littlefoot seemed amused until he heard the part "out beat" and his reference to the threehorns.

- I... I don't think should...

- Nonsense! You should and you will! Come on! That guy was obviously getting new weapons! – David cut, when the swordsman was about to press one of the buttons.

- No! I can't fight Cera's dad! – Littlefoot also cut, turning away.

David was about to say something, but he hesitated, standing mouth-open.

He simply put away the machine and threw away the Hylian Shield approaching the longneck.

Littlefoot was staring blankly at the grass under him, not far from the swordsman.

"I can't fight Cera's dad... She would never forgive me and... although..." He thought. His mother suddenly came across his mind. He opened his eyes. "If you were here... it'd be a lot easier..." Littlefoot now stared at the sky. "What am I going to do...? And... if Cera's dad is like that... I wonder what happened to Grandpa...?" A tear appeared on the corner of his eye, forcing him to look down again. "What did we do wrong for Cera's dad to attack us...?"

- Thinking about what happened to you, Littlefoot? – David's voice whispered.

Littlefoot shook his head twice and saw that David was now by his side, sitting on the grass, admiring the changes the simulator had just made to the scenery. It had changed to a vast forest under a cliff over which both stood. Ruben was climbing up the cliff, using the many paths there. Distant in the horizon, the sea shone magnificently with the sun's blinding light. The swordsman and the longneck stood under a few trees' shades. The longneck lied down, staring blankly at the sea.

- So... that creature that attacked you... it was Cera's father, huh? – David asked without turning his look from the sea.

Littlefoot sighed.

- Yeah... Why did he attack us...? – The longneck thought aloud, now staring at David.

- Well, I suppose he didn't do it on his own, free will... – The swordsman answered, still not turning his eyes away from the sea.

- But why? – Littlefoot insisted.

David sighed.

- That human girl that was with Cera's father... she's... a danger...

- The bad guys? – Littlefoot simplified.

- Yes, you can call her that... Anyways, she was probably controlling Cera's father... if he's really her dad, I surely doubt he would ever attack his daughter.

- She was controlling him...? – Littlefoot said these words very slowly, slowly turning his head towards the ocean. – But I still can't fight him...

- The fight... – David sighed – You know, you would only be a great help to keep her father away while Andrea could turn him into a... – David had to say the next words very slowly – into a Statue...

- A Statue...? – Littlefoot sighed.

It was rather sad that he had to turn one of his friend's parents into a Statue, incapable of moving or any other action. The longneck's face turned long.

Seeing Littlefoot's sad reaction, David slowly approached the longneck.

- Listen... don't worry. As long as we're here... or at least Andrea and Tricia are... we'll be able to turn Cera's father back to normal... So don't worry... we won't lose anyone, Cera's father won't die. – The swordsman explained.

Littlefoot tried to understand, but it was still hard. _Fight_? Since when could he _fight _a _threehorn _with about the double his size? What could David be thinking?

- So... whadda'ya say...? Wanna train? Remember... – David got up, adding – It's only for Cera's father's own good. We only want to save him; we don't want him to get killed. None of us do.

Littlefoot forced a smile. He had to fight sooner or later. It was a reality he had to face.

The longneck sighed, then assuming a confident look.

- Let's train! – He announced, stretching his neck towards the sky as far as he could.

- You said it all! – David said. The background changed once again, back to the rock field.

The swordsman took out the small machine from his pocket once again, leaving a finger suspended over a red button.

- Littlefoot. This will be the beginning of hard training. It will be the acquirement of new techniques. The body to which you'll have to adapt in order to fight. Are you ready?

The longneck gulped, letting down the confident look for a few instants, but recovering it instantaneously after that.

- Yes. I'm ready.

- You won't feel a thing. It will be an instant...

David pressed the red button and a flashing explosion caused the rising of large dust clouds, which spread for a few moments.

Sirena Waterfalls, 13:28, Reef Continent Time Zone

The forests surrounding the lake at the waterfall basis became slightly foggier as the day proceeded although the lake had a clear atmosphere and lucid waters into which the waterfalls high above poured water, slightly rising white mist.

The bottom of the lake was clear, and it was clear that it didn't have anything under its waters that coursed towards the Reef Golf.

Suddenly, two figures came from the misty woods.

Just then, the lake's waters where covered by fog.

- Dad! I can't see you! Are you there!? – One of the figures, Cera, yelled out, losing track of the other threehorn, as it went into the fog.

Cera proceeded for some distance, but stopped as she realized she was about to get into the water. She drew back, stopping again as she hit a tree.

The threehorn looked around, a confused look on her face.

- Please, Dad... please don't leave me...! DAD! – Cera yelled.

As she yelled, the fog disappeared as quickly as it appeared, allowing the sun to once again shine over the waters of lake.

Cera looked around, searching for her father.

However, he was nowhere to be seen, except for a small shadow over the middle of the lake.

The threehorn's thoughts became scrambled. She quickly ran to the water's edge, looking at the bottom of the lake.

"Please don't... don't fall in here, please..." She thought in rushed feelings.

She quickly calmed down with a long sigh as she didn't spot her father underwater.

But then, what was the shadow?

She turned her look at it. It didn't seem to move. It seemed petrified, frozen there like a smudge.

- What is that...? – She whispered, drawing back.

Once again, as she said this, her father appeared over the shadow, increasing out of thin air. It stared blankly at Cera, as its blank eyes weren't viable to identify the direction of his look.

- Dad?! How can you?!

- _**Cera... Please forgive me... – **_The threehorn said, as it started to fade into the shadow under it.

- Forgive you? – She yelled – Forgive you for what!? Dad! Please come back! Don't leave me alone! – Cera ran to the water's edge, trying to spot the threehorn that had just faded into the shadow, probably into the water. – Dad...? – She whispered, trying to contain her tears – Where are you...? Please...

She kept looking at the lake's waters, trying to avoid the tears that threatened to break out.

- Dad... why...? – She whispered, lowering her head.

A sudden earthquake cut Cera's sentence, followed by a sudden explosion in the lake's surface.

Cera quickly held her head up but didn't draw back, petrified by the explosion, staring terrified at the two dark hands that now stared back at her with threatening contortions.

When the threehorn decided to run away, it was too late: one of the hands gripped her, firmly holding her in the air as it steadily smashed her.

- Who are you...? Where's my dad...? – Cera mumbled before collapsing on the hand.

The hand relieved the hold, floating towards the lake's shore and letting her fall on the sand, returning back to the other hand's company.

- _**Sleep gently... – **_The cold voice echoed, before the hands faded away into the shade and the shadow vanished completely.

Newland Beach, 13:30, Reef Continent Time Zone

Tricia entered the hut on the small island off the shore of Newland Beach, a square island with a palm tree in each corner, three stone tiles on the sand in front of a wooden hut.

Ducky stood one of them, staring at the sea.

- So... Do you like the sea? – Tricia asked, coming out of the hut again.

- Do you call the Big Water 'sea'? Just that?

- It's much easier. Why? Do you call it Big Water?

Ducky nodded, embarrassed.

- Come on, there's nothing to be embarrassed. – Tricia answered, approaching the water's edge. She took a deep breath and then joined the index and middle fingers of the right hand. Then, she approached the hand to her left shoulder and, in a quick move, she drew strange figures in the air, while the left hand held the Power Device in behind the drawings as the lines of the formers started to appear, made of the glimmer from the fingers.

As Tricia stopped, the drawings were done: it was the same symbol from Andrea's pendant, shining in a bright yellow. It seemed the drawings only stayed there thanks to the Power Device.

- Ducky, touch it. – Tricia ordered to the swimmer, who was observing quietly as Tricia drew the triangles.

She approached the drawings and cautiously raised her hand.

As the hand was about to touch the drawings, some of glimmer started to break and involve it.

Ducky gulped but kept approaching the hand to the middle of the drawings, which Tricia lowered for the swimmer to be able to touch them.

The central triangle, in the middle of the three triangles, was sparkling with a white colour, as if a pond of white water was in it.

- Don't be afraid and touch the triangle in the middle. – Tricia calmed, noticing Ducky's anxiety.

Ducky nodded and kept going. Shortly, she touched the central triangle.

However, Tricia didn't expect what happened to occur.

As the swimmer's hand touched the triangle, the former exploded with a flashing light, throwing Tricia and Ducky into the water, yells echoing throughout the shoreline's rocks.

Simulator, 12:32, P.B.P. Headquarters Simulator's Internal Clock

- What a heck of an explosion! – David shouted, coughing and shaking his hands to draw away the dust around him. You there, Littlefoot? – He yelled, with an entertained tone, accompanied by a giggle.

Not far from the explosion's location, not too below…

Ruben grabbed the hill's edge with a hand, but only for pure luck. The explosion threw him away, but he somehow managed to grab the edge and pull back up, now scaling the rocky wall. His sword was on its scabbard, but the shield was lost.

He didn't take long to reach the top of the wall, standing up the middle of the dust.

- David! You there!? – He yelled. He was about to yell more, but a sudden thunder-like sound interrupted him. He looked around. – What the heck was that…? – He looked at the dust clouds, but couldn't tell a thing. Suddenly, another similar sound was heard behind him, making him turn around with a jump only to release a sudden shout before being hit by something that made him fly back into the precipice again.

- Littlefoot! Are you… uff! – David grumbled as he hit something hard. As he backed away, he knew what it was. – Eh, Littlefoot! Or should I say… Thunderfoot? – David commented as the dust settled.

- What are you talking about? Huh?! – A low pitched voice answered. It belonged to gigantic creature, a dinosaur of many tones of brown, a longneck. Littlefoot. – What happened to me?! How did you do that?! – He consecutively questioned, looking at himself, his size and his appearance.

- Well… let's call it my magic. – David answered, throwing the machine in the air and grabbing it again, putting it back into his pocket.

- This is amazing! Wait 'till the others see it! – Littlefoot eagerly commented.

David scratched the back of his head at the comment.

- Well, I don't think that's possible… at least not now… you see, you're of that size inside the Simulator… - David unsheathed his sword and pricked it into the earth. – Here.

Littlefoot groaned with disappointment.

- But don't worry, you turned that big here, you can always turn again outside. After all what's possible here, is possible outside… well, almost everything. – David pulled out the sword again and drew the shield. – Anyways, let's train!

- You still haven't told me how. – Littlefoot cut off David's enthusiasm.

The swordsman sighed and sheathed the sword, putting the shield on his back.

- Ok, hit me hard with your tail. – He ordered, crossing his arms.

- What? – Littlefoot questioned, surprised.

- Come on! Hit me hard with your tail! Is it that difficult?!

- But, won't you get hurt?

- Nothing hurts here, now come on! HIT ME! Hard, if you can!

- Ok, if you say so… - Littlefoot gave in, positioning himself in order to be able to hit David with his tail.

The longneck then pulled back the tail, charging up, until he finally whipped the tail towards David.

The swordsman, though, only jumped, extending his arms and using the tail to jump even higher, towards Littlefoot's back, over which he started to run up, unsheathing his sword and jumping towards the head, holding the sword with both hands in order to stab the longneck's head with a quick move.

Just as Littlefoot's amaze ended, fear began to crept inside him, as he saw David flying towards his head with the sword ready to stab into him.

Therefore, Littlefoot managed to dodge the hit by swinging his head in a timed move, which made David land on the red earth, pricking it into the ground.

David was amazed, nonetheless, now trying to pull out the sword as Littlefoot was about to whip his tail at the swordsman again.

As he did it, though, David let the sword go and did the same technique he used earlier to jump onto the longneck's back again, however, this time, he only jumped over the tail, while the former hit the sword and made it fly towards a nearby rock into which it pricked.

David cautiously examined the area: he would have to be very cautious to get the sword back.

The only solution left for him now, he thought, was running, and so he did, running towards the rock as a tail behind him threatened to hit him again.

David sped up, but not enough since some of the impetus the tail had still hit him, not too harshly, but enough to send him flying towards the rock he wanted to hit.

With a midair roll, he grabbed the sword's handle and held himself using his feet against the rock.

As the sword was pulled, David only had time to do a backwards summersault, as the tail destroyed the rock, but now pulled back against him more quickly, returning sooner than what he expected.

David, though, simply did the same move; now jumping back onto the longneck's back, running towards the head again.

The swordsman jumped once, about to stab, and Littlefoot turned is head away.

However, David had tricked the longneck, since he was still running towards the head.

Still with the recoil, the head couldn't move without snapping, which gave David the opportunity he awaited: he jumped towards the head, his sword ready to stab.

Littlefoot closed his eyes, waiting for the ultimate to come.

However, all he felt was a light, cold sensation on top of the head.

David didn't actually stab the head; he only left the sword on that position.

The longneck opened his eyes.

- Why didn't you stab me? – He questioned.

- Because I didn't need to. – David quickly answered. The swordsman got up and sheathed the sword, jumping back to the ground with many midair rolls. Littlefoot turned to face him, and now had to lower his head to listen what David said. – Even if I DID stab you, you wouldn't feel anything. You'd be… - David stopped as a sound similar to a bullet echoed, and the next minute, David was landing near the longneck's paw in the Statue form.

- You only turn into a Statue, if that's what he meant. – Ruben's voice said, and the owner appeared from behind a rock with his Origin Sword unsheathed.

- Why did you do that?! – Littlefoot yelled. Its low pitched voice echoed throughout the fields.

- For no special reason. See? – Ruben approached the Statue and touched the stand, bringing David back to life.

- So it was you… - David mumbled, still recovering.

- So, you two trained, huh? What about me?! – Ruben complained waving the sword.

- YOU fell down the hill twice. And lost once. – David explained. He then turned to Littlefoot – So, think we've had enough training for today? – He asked.

- Yeah, I'm really tired… - Littlefoot admitted.

- Well, then, we're off! – David shouted, pressing the ignition button on the small machine he took out of his pocket.

Newland Beach, 13:46, Reef Continent Time Zone

Both Ducky and Tricia quickly swam back to the island. None of both had problems with the water, apparently.

- What happened? – Ducky asked, trying to figure what caused the explosion.

- I tried to open a Warp Point using you. If we can create a Warp Point, we can go directly to the place where we can find your special object. – Tricia answered.

Both arrived to the shore, and, to Tricia's joy, there was indeed a drawing on the sand, the same drawing she made, although it was inside another triangle, and the three triangles from the original design were golden, while the background was black, and the middle, white.

It was a Warp Point. Warp Points didn't need a Dimensional Fault to cross the area, since they were simply transport points to go from a city to another or from a location to one other where the magic can still have effect. They were technology imported from the Rico Continent, Reef Continent's neighbour.

- We did it, Ducky! Oh yeah! – Tricia celebrated.

- We did? – Ducky looked at the point, but then also started to celebrate – We did! Yup, yup, yup!

- Come on, Ducky, come in! We've got to find your object! – Tricia ordered, walking towards the Warp Point.

Ducky followed Tricia into the white triangle, as the human held up the Power Device.

The triangle enveloped them with white light, and, when it disappeared, both were gone.

The portal disappeared shortly after that.


	13. The Eve of the coming

Chapter 13 – The Eve of the coming

P.B.P. Headquarters' Statue Room, 14:29, Reef Continent Time Zone

Andrea blinked twice.

Spike blinked twice.

Both blinked twice.

Andrea assumed a blank look.

Spike assumed an intrigued expression.

Andrea blinked twice again.

Spike tilted his head.

"So, are you gonna stay like that all day, bird brain?" Andrea thought.

Spike yawned.

"Wake up…!" Andrea's conscious shouted.

Suddenly, Andrea stood up and looking blankly at the door.

Spike groaned in intrigue, looking up.

- Spike… - Andrea whispered, still looking blankly at the door. – Tell me… - Andrea suddenly crossed her look with Spike's – Why the hell can't you talk?

Spike again tilted his head.

Andrea heavily sat on a nearby chair.

- I tried everything, from the most advanced magic to the most basic magic, and yet, I can't make you talk! – She shouted, spinning on her chair.

Spike turned away to discover a small pot with a plant, a green, tasty plant. From this spiketail's eyes, of course.

Therefore, while Andrea explained and quoted the whole "Emperor's Magic Spell Book", 3rd edition, Spike walked over at the plant and started to eat it, eating his fill.

P.B.P. Headquarters First floor, 14:30, Reef Continent Time Zone

David, Ruben and Littlefoot walked out of the elevator and stopped near the fountain. A pleasant breeze blew from the open doors of the building, as the air freshened with the nearby, pure water from the Reef Cave fountains.

- Hey, what do you think about going to Reef Town eat something? – David proposed, taking in a deep breath.

- I second that. – Ruben agreed, wetting his hands, cleaning the dirt from the elevator's mechanisms.

As it seemed, the elevator had a small problem, which delayed the four in about half an hour.

- However, what do you like to eat, Littlefoot? – David asked – I'm sure he doesn't eat meat, and I honestly don't know where to find a place for him to eat at all.

- Treestars. – Littlefoot quickly answered.

David chattered an "Aaaaah" looking at the door, but quickly turned a perplex look at Littlefoot.

- Treewhat?! – He exclaimed.

- Where do you find those? – Ruben inquired.

- In trees, duh! – David cut in. – Treestars… why don't we search that?

- Where? In the Reefnet? – Ruben mocked.

- Where else? – David answered, turning around.

Ruben sighed.

- It's obvious he eats leaves... – Ruben said, crossing his arms while David walked towards the elevators.

David froze, blushing.

- Er... uh... hum... yeah, right... leaves... so... – He turned around and started walking towards the exit. – So, hum... let's go...?

Littlefoot giggled and walked out followed by Ruben, who shook his head while passing by David.

- You say one thing right and two wrong in a row... – He commented, making sure David heard.

However, the other swordsman didn't answer, still blushing.

The three headed towards the Reef Cave, but Littlefoot suddenly halted near the gardens, looking at the bushes.

David suddenly got a worried expression.

- Littlefoot, maybe we should get you something to eat in the forest...? – David proposed, pushing Littlefoot towards the cave.

- Er, ok, I guess... – Littlefoot answered without a choice.

- What you want is not getting any more bills to pay a garden rearrangement. – Ruben commented, also walking towards the cave.

David snarled at the comment, but kept going.

-_ Ducky, wake up. We're here_. – Tricia's voice echoed.

The swimmer slowly opened her eyes.

- Where are we...? – She asked, closing her eyes again.

"This is going to be harder than I thought..." Patricia thought.

She palmed Ducky's face twice, forcing her to open her eyes.

- We're in Mt. Mystery, north of the place where we were. We'll find your object here. – Tricia explained, standing up.

Ducky also stood up, checking the surroundings. They were in a small cave, as a wild storm seemed to brew outside.

- We can't go out now! – Ducky replied, pulling back into the cave.

Tricia looked closely at the storm and sighed.

- You're probably right... we can't do much today... we'll have to stay here 'till the storm passes. – She admitted.

"Where did this storm come from...?" Tricia thought. "I'd swear I didn't see clouds in the mountains..." She looked at the hard rain and lightning thunders. The background landscape seemed to show a nocturne mountain. "And why is it night already...?"

Tricia sat over a nearby rock and faced Ducky, who also sat on a rock.

A long period of silence took the cave, the thunders and the rain being the only audible sounds.

- So, Ducky... – Tricia said, cutting the silence – Do you have any brothers? Sisters? – She asked. It was the best she could figure out to start a conversation.

Ducky seemed to consider the question, but quickly answered.

- Yeah, I do. What about you? – She asked back.

- Me? Nah, none. – Tricia answered. After a small period of silence, she asked – Do you miss them?

Ducky was about to answer immediately, but then lowered her head and looked at the ground, not letting Tricia see her face.

- Yeah... I miss them... But I don't even know how to get there... I don't even know where they are... – She answered.

- I understand... – Tricia replied, looking at the weather conditions outside. She gave a surprised gasp as she saw a bright light outside, in the middle of the rain, overcoming the thunders, a permanent, red light. She got up and ran outside, staring at the sky, trying to understand something between the rain and the thunders and clouds.

Ducky watched as Tricia ran outside, but only then the light caught her eye. She also ran outside, looking at the sky.

- What is it, Tricia? – Ducky asked, a face of total awe on her face. She approached Tricia, who also had a similar expression.

Patricia took a while to answer.

In the sky, a bright red star seemed to emit the brightness that illuminated the cave and the mountains around it. The star seemed to have a white tail, and its fiery head seemed to be made of rock, as a huge boulder was spottable within the bright red light.

- It's the Eve's Comet... And it's marking the eve of something really bad... – Tricia answered, looking at Ducky, who still had a terrorized face. – There's no time to lose. – Ducky turned to her with a puzzled face – We have to find your object. The sooner, the better. Come on!

Tricia ran up a short ledge, leaving Ducky behind.

- Are you coming or what?! – Tricia yelled, turning around to Ducky, who had frozen on her place.

- I-I-I'm coming! – Ducky yelled back, running towards Tricia.

The rain got heavier by the minute: The Eve's Comet was coming.

Unknown Place and Time

A red siren rang in the base's halls. Suddenly, many robots were running up the elevators, stairs, and whatever they could find to reach the top floor.

Edward III ran up the elevator to his own room, taking advantage of the confusion that had installed in the base.

The elevator quickly reached the special room and opened its doors, as III ran towards the purple screen with the amulet held up.

- Show yourself! – He shouted to the screen. – I command you to show yourself! – He shouted again.

Not seeing any results, III put away the pendant and unsheathed the Golden Sword. He held it towards the screen and shouted:

- Do you see this sword!? Do you recognize it?! It's the same sword that will trespass you once you show here! You hear me!? The Master Sword is painless to you, but this sword isn't! – III sheathed the sword and held out the amulet. – So show yourself!

III was now gasping, exhaustively looking at the screen.

He was about to draw the sword again, but the outlines of two hands appeared in the purple mist.

Soon, they took the shape of two black-gloved hands, floating, bodiless.

**- You have come ****far too late, III! The Eve's Comet as entered the atmosphere! The Isle of Illusion won't take long to appear as well!**

**- **How did you escape!? – III roared.

- **Me? And how would I escape? I have no influence in the Eve's Comet. What the Eve's Comet brings, however, is very useful to me...**

**- **You won't have the freaking place! You hear me?! – III roared, red of anger.

- **We'll have to see that, then! – **The cold voice released an active, malevolent laughter, as it faded in the mist. The screen then shattered itself into thousands of pieces, leaving III incredulous.

- NEVER! – III roared. His nerves were starting to take over him. – YOU SHALL NEVER HAVE IT! EVER!

- Are they all here? – Lewis asked to a robot near him. All robots seemed human-like, but the skin was white, metallic.

Both were on a balcony high above the floor where the robots were standing by on a square formation.

- Yes, sir. All units have reported in. – The robot answered,

Lewis glanced over at the robots.

The Dark Prince then jumped from the balcony to the floor where the robots were and approached one of the robots, but quickly drew back.

"They're useless... all of them..." He thought, glancing angrily at the robots.

A lone threehorn stood near a pond in the fields. It had been there for the last days, staring blankly at the pond, not eating, not sleeping, not talking.

Every day, the threehorn whispered to himself the exact same words of sorrow, the exact same feelings, every day.

As he looked at the water on the pond, he saw his daughter's reflection.

- Mr. Threehorn... – A swimmer said, approaching him. The first visit ever since they got there. – Are you feeling alright? You seemed very grieved lately.

But the threehorn didn't turn and talk.

The swimmer got closer to the threehorn's head. There, she heard a whisper. The first audible words.

- Cera... my daughter... did I really... – The threehorn sniffed, and a tear rolled from his eye.

- Did something happen to your daughter Cera, Mr. Threehorn? – The swimmer gently asked.

The threehorn slowly turned its head to the swimmer, a very sad expression on his face.

- Would I really be able to kill my daughter...? – He asked, crying.

- Of course not, Mr. Threehorn! Why would you say that?! – The swimmer replied, although amazed by the question.

The threehorn was about to answer, but a loud voice was heard.

- Listen up, all of you! – It was Germana's voice. – I'm quite sure many of you can learn magic! So I want everybody in formation for me to check who can!

The swimmer glanced around, but couldn't see the voice's origin. However, she turned to the formation and started walking towards it, leaving the threehorn there, crying.

- Why...? – The threehorn whispered, walking with cost towards the formation.

Lewis slowly entered a room with a biconvex shape, with a pond of water that shimmered like glass, petrified.

The door closed behind him, as his curled fists were enveloped with a purple aura. His face was emotionless; he walked towards the pond at a normal pace.

However, unlike what would be expected, he started walking over the water, although the liquid acted as if something was in it.

The Dark Prince then kneed in the middle of the pond, closing his eyes and joining both hands in front of his lowered head.

The water acquired a red colour, as the entire room became black. It would seem that the man was over a circle of fire.

He stood there, motionless; that position, like a prayer.

Reef Fields Forest Route, 14:59, Reef Continent Time Zone

The Forests: one of the most beautiful places in Reef Continent. Life burst in the forest as many sounds were heard and a light breeze made the trees and bushes dance at its flavour. The sun made the leaves glimmer, on the tall trees. On evenings, many people would walk these grounds, on their way home, either in Reef Town, Pinnacle Tower, to the east, or to Cascade Village, to the west. In the distance, the ruins of The Maze, to the north, were easily identifiable.

For some distance, a mountain wall was distinguished between the foliage, and eventually, by following its borders, one would reach the Reef Cave's entrance.

There, three characters emerged from the shadows of the tunnel.

David halted at the Reef Cave's exit, while Littlefoot and Ruben kept walking.

He shifted his look between a road destination and another, apparently trying to figure something out.

Littlefoot was the first to notice someone missing.

- What's wrong? – He asked.

David unsheathed his sword and his shield, assuming attack position.

- Ruben, we've got company. – He answered.

Ruben also halted, unsheathing the sword.

- I can't fight now! – Littlefoot cried out, looking around.

- You're right… - David admitted – We've got to find a few Growth Pollens for you…

- What's that? – The longneck inquired, tilting his head.

- Bushes with something that will have the same effect as what happened in the Simulator. – David answered, stepping forward, to near Littlefoot.

Ruben still stood near them, looking around. The Origin Sword suddenly started flashing, and the owner turned to the west destination.

David also turned, as well as Littlefoot.

Not too far, a figure walked with cost towards them, nearly falling a few times.

- Isn't that…

- Cera! – Littlefoot cut David, running towards the figure.

- Wait! Littlefoot! Don't!

- Are you alright?! CERA! – The longneck yelled.

- **Stay away! – **A thick voice ordered. The longneck's eyes widened.

Ruben sprinted towards Littlefoot, eventually hovering towards the threehorn.

However, before he could reach both, a halo seemed to repel both towards David again, and the threehorn held its head to the trio.

- Who is that?! – David inquired, assuming a defensive position.

- Its Ruler… he's back… - Ruben said with cost, standing up slowly.

Northern Mountain Mystery, Unknown Time

Under a heavy rain and purple mist, a flyer entered a small cave due to the Northern Mountain Zone. It was a flyer of many tones of brown, an adult flyer. It flew into the cave with accurate speed, and then crossed the tunnel range. It carried a Statue, a small longneck over its pedestal.

Eventually, the flyer stopped on the edge of a crystalline lake, around which many stones reflected to water and created light.

- Ok, here's the deal… - The Flyer started – I'm in, and this is yours to take… - The flyer held up the Statue.

Two yellow, circular, shining eyes appeared in the middle of a black mist over the water.

- _**What do you want…?**_ – A voiced echoed.

- Power… - The flyer answered with a wicked look. – Your power…

- _**Consider it granted… - **_The voice answered again, as two black hands picked up the Statue and brought it into the dark mist. When the hand came back out, the Statue was no longer there.

Shortly after, the flyer opened its wings and the two hands smashed it between the palms. The interior shone with a purple aura, as the hands kept gripping ever tighter.


	14. Th Isle of Illusions

Sorry if this is a long, confuse chapter, but I wanted to reach the 15th chapter and be able to start the intended place in which the story would show it was a true fusion of two worlds in a single one, instead of in a world inherent to any of the two.

So, I wanted to let the consequences of the two world's fusion appear all at once in 14 chapters, so I wouldn't be just putting off my story concept.

Also, sorry if the story wasn't all good 'till here, I'm trying my best to put it much better from the 15th chapter (which already begins in a new world completely apart from the two, but with the ten characters plus antagonists). So, if you had the time to read my fanfiction up to now, thank you very much, and sorry for not writing anything for around two months.

One more thing: this second part of the story introduces a small turn of the story, amnesia-like turn.

Chapter 14 – The Isle of Illusions

Reef Fields Forest Route, 15:22, Reef Continent Time Zone

David swung the sword on his hands twice to keep balance, putting the shield in front of him. If this was indeed Cera and Ruler, what would they have to do with one another?

- What if Ruler's controlling her? – David asked, not turning his eyes off the threehorn.

- We'll have to turn her into a Statue… and then I'll have to stab her with the Origin Sword. I did it to III once, remember? – Ruben answered, holding up the Origin Sword.

However, just as soon as he raised it, the threehorn turned around and ran away into the woods.

- What went into her...? – David questioned, staring at the threehorn as it ran away.

- David... – Ruben called, touching the other swordsman's shoulder. – Look... – Ruben pointed at the sky.

David doubted about what Ruben meant, but he still looked up. His jaw dropped as he saw the sky being covered by a black mist, and then showing the Universe above it.

- What's happening...? – Littlefoot asked, terrified.

David blinked twice as a drop touched his nose.

- It's raining...? – He interrogated, cleaning the drop.

Suddenly, as if the sky had been torn, heavy rain starts to fall in the forest, over the swordsmen and longneck.

- We've got to take cover! Into the Reef Cave! – David yelled, running into the Reef Cave as fast as he could, using the shield as an umbrella. Ruben shared his with Littlefoot, and both ran inside as well.

David sat against the most distant wall from the exit. Ruben joined him, but he sat near the exit.

The older swordsman cleaned his sweat, sighing.

- Man, how did so much rain fall at once…?! – He commented – And how come there weren't any clouds?!

Littlefoot still stared to the outside forest, amazed of the differences between his and this place.

But then, he couldn't avoid thinking of his friends. But his friends led him to Cera and her reaction…

And then again, it led him to think about Mr. Threehorn's own reaction to both of them.

Mt. Mystery, Unknown Time

Patricia was forced to use a spell that could at least protect them, as they had nothing to protect themselves from the heavy rain that now formed a blizzard. She kept the Power Device right in front of her, glowing, giving some light to the dark area.

As they kept walking, Patricia's thought were directed to only one thing: Getting Ducky's object and get out of there.

But the task wouldn't be easy, as David was the only explorer in that area.

Ducky, though, thought the exact same thing, with only one add: the huge boulder seen in flying.

The swimmer kept herself near Patricia, so the shield could protect her too.

- Do you know where we're going, Tricia?! – Ducky shouted in the blizzard.

- Trust me, don't worry! – Tricia shouted back. "Although… I have no idea where the cave holding the object is… Why didn't Andrea come with us?!" Tricia thought, as she felt like shouting for the P.B.P. secretary.

They kept going through the snowy, unknown plain, where there seemed to be no limits: should a cliff come, and they would fall into it with no chances of getting out or grabbing hold of something.

The burning cold snow in the ground started to form thick layers, and the two females' path eventually got obstructed by no visibility and no way to walk: they were in trouble if they didn't leave that pitch-black hole, as any bit of snow could cause an avalanche into their unintentional shelter.

- Where to, Ducky? – Tricia decided to ask, lowering the Power Device. The light in the area slowly vanished away.

- Tricia! What are you doing?! – Ducky cried out. She looked around.

Blackness was everything in sight. Black, shady, sinister, mysterious…

What was Tricia doing? Leaving her there?

She couldn't even see herself, nothing… like there wasn't anything.

Then… she felt something warm touching her…

- Find your own path… - Tricia's voice said. – We've come here, but you're the one who's got to find out the object. You're the one to do it.

- But I can't… I don't even know where I am, I don't, I don't!

- And you won't if you don't try. Concentrate.

Ducky gave up, closing her eyes and trying to focus on something. But what? Her object? Hah, she didn't even know how it was… how could she focus on something she never really touched before, seen before, used before? She tried to find anything that could connect her to the object, but nothing came to her mind. Nothing.

Would she blame herself forever for having lost both herself and Tricia in the middle of nowhere? Or would she even have time to apologize? It would probably be quick, but… there had to be another option.

Reef Fields Forest Area, Unknown Time

Although rain fell harshly, the sun and a dark sky were visible from under the trees of the Reef Fields Forests.

A threehorn suddenly came out of the bushes with her eyes closed, running into a rock, falling slightly confused.

As Cera got up again, she opened her eyes, showing possessed, glowing yellow eyes, glimmering in the darkness.

- Go away! – She shouted, shaking her head violently.

- What are you saying? Did you not want your father? Then handle it! – A voice echoed.

- No! Make it stop! GO AWAY! – She shouted with her lungs, falling slightly unconscious.

- Eh, you! – A voice suddenly called from behind her. Cera stopped thinking for a few moments before opening her eyes again. These were back to their normal colour. She looked at who called: a flyer. – Heard you got cheated by your father!

Cera was about to reply harshly, but instead dropped out.

- So?

- What would you think if I showed you the way to him? – He offered, showing a small triangle.

Cera stared at the triangle wither her eyes wide open.

- With that? You're kidding me, right?

The flyer touched the triangle and threw it at the ground. The object disappeared and left around it a yellow triangle painted in the grass.

- In no way...

Cera's jaw dropped, as she saw the flyer walking into the yellow area and picking up from the ground the triangle again, making the yellow area disappear.

- So...? What's your choice? – The flyer asked.

- Hey pal! Go mess with someone your own size! – A voice roared from nowhere.

The flyer raised its head to the sky with complete amaze.

- What?!

Cera also looked towards the sky, as something flew over the two, followed by a flash.

Suddenly, a black clothed figure was on the mountain wall, holding its sword high, a hood covering its face.

In a fraction of a second, without giving time for any reaction, the figure jumped towards the flyer and threw the triangle upwards using the sword, immediately jumping right after it, shouting:

- High Jump Slash! – Just before destroying the triangle with two sword swings, fast as light, falling in front of the flyer again, as his cap covered his body. It was unmistakably a man.

- Why, you…! – The flyer cursed, his hands glowing with a purple aura.

He raised a hand towards the man, as purple dust shot out at great speed. The young man simply jumped sideways, avoiding the flyer.

- Great Finale! – The man shouted again, flying towards the flyer, slashing it away.

The latest simply blew up, throwing away dust. The man protected itself using the cap, and suddenly saw some glittering thing flying towards him.

He dodged it, but he saw Cera didn't.

A silhouette flew towards her Statue, picking it up and flying away.

- Thanks, jerk! – The flyer shouted, quickly fading away.

The man threw the cap out of his way, also throwing the hood.

Andrew's face was uncovered. The young man in charge of the sport events in the Reef Continent, the slightly blond hair figure with blue eyes.

- Dang it! – He cursed, throwing the sword into the ground. – David's not going to like this!

He kept looking at the sky for a while until he sighed and quickly jumped up the mountain wall, sheathing his sword.

A craft with a spear design flew up, and Andrew jumped into it.

He sat on the cockpit and flew away in the ocean's direction.

P.B.P. Headquarters, Unknown Time

- Spike! Gimme a hand, here! – Andrea shouted, trying to pull the security lever to the protection side. – JUST HELP ME!

Spike watched closely as he saw the human trying to pull the switch before he put himself against it as well and pushed.

With a little more effort, the lever finally gave in and an orchestra of sounds was heard above.

Both were in the basement, near the Simulator, due to the heavy rain that fell outside. It wasn't the first time the building had to withstand these conditions, so David had already told the security company that installed all the protection devices in the building, Golden Umbrella, to install two security switches in the building: one in the basement and one in the director's office.

Andrea sprinted away to the elevator and pressed the button to the last floor.

- Quick, there's another lever on the second floor! – She shouted, blocking the doors so Spike could get in.

The latest ran inside and the elevator closed, going up.

Quick enough, the elevator reached the second floor, and as soon as it opened, Andrea and Spike – who was actually just following her, since Andrea didn't make time to explain – ran out.

The last lever was inside Patricia's office.

However, just when she was going inside, Andrea halted, looking at the window wall.

Spike groaned in interrogation, but got just as surprised as her when he turned his look to the window.

Across the ocean there was some kind of giant piece of land, as if it had been uprooted from somewhere. Three points shimmered near a mountain over the floating island, reflecting themselves on the P.B.P. symbol outside.

The rain had stopped, and the sky turned completely black.

Andrea was about to curse, but the ground suddenly shook violently, throwing her, the spiketail and the shelves to the ground, as something started to emerge from the waters of the Reef Golf.

Littlefoot took the lead while he, David and Ruben ran to the Reef Cave's exit, which was about to be reduced to rubble due to the sudden earthquake.

- David, Andrea already locked the headquarters! – Ruben warned as they reached the gardens at the building's foot. In fact, the lower floor already had its windows covered.

- Dang it! She only does the right things when we don't need!

Apart from the twosome's discussion, Littlefoot looked away from the building to the ocean and couldn't help but call David's attention.

As soon as the young man looked at the sea, he instantly cursed - he knew that battleship, reflecting the symbol's glow: it was III's Battleship. A long battleship with a disc-like head, with an abstract body behind, equipped with many cannons; the battleship was turned to the island, and it seemed to be about to depart. It completely blocked the view to the island behind, and although the trio saw it, none gave it too much importance.

Something else was approaching the headquarters, landing over the building.

- It's Andrew, come on! – David called, running to the building's door, followed by Ruben and Littlefoot.

The company director unsheathed the sword and slashed the door twice, making a small hole through which the three went in.

- Tricia, please, help me! – Ducky shouted.

- I told you already! You must know it yourself!

- Tri- huh...? – Ducky halted, as the darkness started to disappear. The snow was starting to melt and the blizzard had stopped.

The swimmer looked around and stopped on Patricia.

- What's going on? – She asked.

Patricia scrolled her look around as well, searching for anything that could indicate the changes.

From up the mountain, they couldn't see much, especially towards the ocean, to the south.

- Something must have made this happen... but we should make the best out of this! – Patricia piped up, turning to the peaks again. – We should start searching the object as fast as we can while the blizzard doesn't sta-...

- While the blizzard doesn't what? – Ducky requested.

Patricia started to whisper something before jumping over Ducky and disappearing from view.

In a fraction of a second, a flaming, gigantic rock flew over the place, almost touching the ground, before continuing its way down the mountain, flying at great speed.

- Lewis, get this thing flying and destroy that damned island! – III shouted, about to strangulate the swordsman on the cockpit's chair.

- I'm trying, you idiot! Can't you see it or what?! – Lewis complained.

- Lewis, get out of that seat! – A female voice ordered.

The prince didn't have to turn around to guess who the voice belonged to.

- And what makes you think I'd let you drive, Gab? – He muttered, chuckling.

However, something cold appeared under his chin. III's sword and his habit of doing it.

- I make. And therefore, you get out. – He said in a cold voice.

Lewis showed a bothered look, along with purple aura glowing on his fists, but got up and let the seat for Gabrielli.

In a matter of seconds, the battleship was flying towards the island far from the shore.

- This is another offer I have for you... – A flyer said, showing a Statue of a threehorn: Cera.

He was inside a cave, and a voice suddenly echoed.

- _**What do you demand...?**_

_**- **_More power, of course... – The flyer answered.

A groan was heard.

- _**You cannot fool me, Pterano... I know of your intentions...**_

_**- **_You'd better know...

- _**And let me make it clear that you shall not be an exception to those swallowed by the might of the Eve's Comet! Not after I put my own magic resource at risk! NOT AFTER I MADE MY POINT AND TURNED YOU ALL INTO STATUES!**_

The flyer backed away as a durable roar was heard and a glowing, purple sphere appeared in the middle of the lake inside the cave.

When he saw the Statues being sucked into the purple vortex, the flyer still tried to escape, but was also sucked in.

The vortex flew outside the cave, heading towards the comet and unleashing clouds of black mist in its path.

As soon as David and his followers reached the elevators, the young swordsman's suspicions took place: in fact, the building was starting to crumble and they would have to hurry in order to get out of there with Andrea and whoever was with her.

They quickly got into the elevators and immediately went up, stopping in a fraction of second in the second floor. Andrea was standing near the wall, looking closely at the purple sphere as it approached the comet. This lead Ruben and Littlefoot to halt and gaze upon it too, leaving David running as fast as he could towards the secretary and the spiketail by her.

- Andrea, get outta here! – He shouted, about to grab the friend's arm and Spike's tail.

However, Andrea suddenly turned and David was thrown against the wall by someone hidden by the shelves.

David quickly reacted and opened his eyes, dodging a powerful sword strike over him.

He blocked a second sword strike using the Master Sword, creating a duel of strength between his sword and the foe's blade.

However, the sword duel suddenly ended as the two swordsmen realized who they were fighting: between David and Andrew.

- What were you thinking, dude!? – Andrew complained, shoving David once more, but in a playful way.

- I ask you the same, pal! – David replied, sheathing his sword. Andrew did the same. – And what's that island over there, can you explain me?! What's III's battleship doing in the air again?!

- There's time for that when we're outta here! Come on! – Andrew called, running to the elevators, followed by the rest of the group.

However, Littlefoot stood behind.

- Wait, where's Petrie?! And Ducky! And what about Cera?!

- They'll all be fine! I'll go get Petrie! You all go up with Andrew! – Andrea answered, disappearing instantly.

- You heard her, Littlefoot, come on! – David added, shaking the longneck a little to wake him from his trance.

The two went into the elevator once more, leaving the room to be swallowed by a dark fog from outside. It seemed to have no barriers that could stop it.

Patricia covered Ducky just before teleporting out, but...

Suddenly, she felt no ground...

And then... a flash! She uncovered her eyes and let go of Ducky only to see they were seemingly standing on a beautiful patterned ground, covered by a thin white mist.

In the distance, surrounded and over the clouds, stood a castle, although many other towers were visible behind it, much more distant.

Patricia recognized the place for a moment.

Could it be...

- Aryline's castle...? – She whispered.

Ducky switched looks between the girl and the castle, before following Patricia along the bridge, very slowly.

- Ok, I want everyone in, quick! – Andrew shouted, grabbing the aircraft as hard as he could in order to not fall down the building due to the strong whirlwind that seemed to have its origin on the black-coloured comet. Although distant, the comet and III's Battleship were still visible due to their size.

David and Littlefoot quickly followed Spike inside, along with Andrew that went in last.

The aircraft took flight, stopping in front of the building, avoiding with a close-shave the protection of the building, since it was being ripped off by the vortex.

Quickly enough, Andrea appeared inside with Petrie's Statue, undoing the status.

The flyer came back to life, eagerly flying towards Littlefoot and Spike.

- Ok, if everyone's there, let's get rolling! – Andrew announced, taking off.

- PLASMA CANNONS! OPEN FIRE!

Many weapons suddenly appeared on the battleship's surface, exploding in shots towards a gargantuan piece of black, misty rock heading towards an island off the coast.

However, just as the shots hit the comet, it simply exploded.

III sat back and watched with a triumphant look as the shards now flew in all directions.

However, this smile didn't last long.

David quickly grabbed the aircraft's controls.

- Are you nuts?! Why are you going to the comet?!

- Shut up, David! I know what I'm doing!

- No, you don't, stop it!

- Shut up!

Meanwhile, the ship seemed to fly in crisscross motions.

Outside the battleship, what seemed to be a black hole started to take shape. It looked like a hurricane, but instead, it also looked like a huge distortion. It started to swallow anything near it, dragging the battleship with it.

The lights inside the ship went out, and that was all that the four criminals inside it could see.

Andrew's aircraft, though, was also starting to get swallowed.

- Andrew, stop this f... – David started, unable to finish due to the vortex.

- _Patricia... Ducky... _– A soft voice echoed in the wind.

- Aryline...? – Patricia said, looking towards the castle.

- _Shh... Listen... do you hear it...? The wind tells you of everything... – _The voice replied. – _You must only give it attention... and it shall tell you..._

_- _The wind? – Ducky interrupted.

- _Ducky... none shall live without the Water Element..._

_- _Water Element...? What is that? – Patricia asked.

- _The Water Element brings life to all living things... its contains the properties of the purest water..._

_- _But what does that have to do with Ducky...?

The voice seemed to chuckle.

- _You shall find it soon enough... do not worry..._

Before Patricia could even reply again, the ground under them crumbled, leaving them to fall into the darkness...

And that was the last thing any of the two saw.

It was now up to faith.


	15. The Four Elements

Well, here it is! The 15 chapter, in which the turn of the story is introduced. You'll understand the turn in this single chapter, but I'll be putting up other clues about the Luminia Kingdom along the road.

Also, not one my largest. .

Chapter 15 – The Four Elements

Two knights in iron armors opened two heavy doors, allowing a light gust to breathe into the throne room, along with light that illuminated the red carpet in front of the entrance.

On the end of the carpet, sat on a tall throne, after many stairs, stood a respected male in a light blue cap, gazing at the cloaked man who was stepping inside. The cloak was colored gray, completely covering a tall man who kept his head down, covered by the shade. He walked slowly, step by step over the yellow patterns on the carpet.

The soldiers closed the door and walked behind the man, keeping their swords pointed at the figure.

As he reached the bottom of the stairs to the throne, the cloaked character kneed, seemingly avoiding at all costs looking at the king's aged face.

- Introduce yourself to King Flavius! Immediately! – The soldier behind the figure ordered, approaching the point of the spear to the figure's back.

The king's face became disturbed.

- Have you not heard?! Speak! – The other soldier ordered.

The figure remained still for a few moments before getting up. The soldiers' spears noticeably shook in fear as the man's hands, covered in black gloves, showed from within the cloak and took the hood back to reveal the man's silver haired, green eyed, barely white skin head. A stern look took over his expression.

- I am the Count Karont, leader of the Flagosian Desert Tribe. – The man introduced himself, bending, relaxing his expression.

The two soldiers switched looks, nodding once and raising the spears.

- What brings a Flagosian to the Luminian Castle? – The king abruptly interrupted.

- Good king, you know that the Flago Province still belongs to the Luminia Kingdom…

- No, it does not! Your bonds to Luminia were broken two years ago when the Blazing Army attacked the Aldium Province in which we stand! – The king interrupted again, standing up. – And I shall not tolerate a Flagosian in my castle stating to still belong to our kingdom!

The man stepped back and covered his head with the hood again.

- You shall regret this, King Flavius… Flago shall not have mercy towards you… - He menaced, walking out of the throne room.

- Should we make chase? – One of the soldiers asked.

- No. Let him go, for now. Dismiss. – The king ordered, sitting on the throne again.

The soldiers bent themselves and walked out of the room, closing the doors.

- Did something happen, father? – A girl asked, appearing from behind the throne. She wore a long, orange and white dress, along with a yellow bag hanging on her waist.

- Nothing, Patricia. Go back to your room. – The king answered, resting his head on his hands, placed on the chair's holds.

The girl nodded and turned around, going up a few stairs inside a tower. Once in a few stairs, a window would appear on the wall, and the teenager gazed upon the Luminia Kingdom from there.

A wide kingdom, in fact, although the tower's windows only allowed her to view the western coast, the Prach Province, one of the most lively province in the five that constituted the kingdom.

However, she continued, eventually getting into a very well decorated room, her own room. Hers and the swimmer's who sleeping on the bed.

- Ducky, get out of there. – Patricia called in a playful tone, stretching out on the bed.

The swimmer groaned and turned away, leaving both females sleeping.

- Hey Cera, look at what I got! – A boy shouted from the bottom of a hill surrounded by forests. He wore a tunic colored in various tones of green, seemingly made of many different pieces of clothes. A belt strapped the lower parts of the clothes, as well as white pants that were put into small boots.

On the top of the hill, an orange, female threehorn watched vaguely as the boy went up the mount with a shattered, half-broken shield.

- And what is that? – She asked, groaning.

- A shield! – The boy answered frenetically. However, when he looked closely, he noticed that half of it was missing. – I mean, it USED to be a shield… - He calmed down, going down the hill again.

Cera groaned again and turned around. Over the forest, under the sunset, rose a thin cloud of smoke, originated from the Quiña Town nearby.

She started walking into the forest, simply following tracks on the ground between the multitudes of trees.

She admired the trees and the effects they created as the light shone through the spaces between their leaves.

She listened quietly as the wind blew across the woods.

However, she suddenly started to feel dizzy. She started to mumble about, eventually hitting a rock.

The wind stopped and she closed her eyes, trying to relief a sudden headache.

- Are you going somewhere…? – A harsh voice asked from nowhere.

- Yeah, I'm going ba-… - She said, turning around when the headache softened a little. However, although she thought her friend was the one who talked and therefore would be there, but, instead, there was just the golden light caused by the trees. – Ruben? Are you there…?

- Its not your friend, Cera… It is… someone else…

- Who and where are you?! Show yourself! – She demanded, furious.

The headache suddenly returned, though, throwing her to the ground.

- Don't even think about it… You shall suffer if you struggle against it! – The voice coldly replied.

Cera was about to scream for help, but the headache got even stronger, making her roll on the ground.

- I am a shadow who sees through your eyes… one you should never meet… - The voice continued.

Cera gave up on fighting against it and relaxed. In fact, the headache attenuated itself as well.

- What do you want from me? – She asked, resigned.

- Nothing…

She felt her heart stopping for a few moments.

- What do you mean?

- For now, you have no use for me… you shall, soon, though…

- But…

- Cera! – Ruben's voice interfered with her conversation with the voice, snapping her out of her daydream. – What are you doing on the ground? – The boy asked, looking down at the threehorn.

- What? – Cera said, confused. However, she noticed she in fact was on the ground. A few marks on the floor were visible from a rock to the place where she was. – Oh, hum… nothing.

Ruben had a sad expression on him, as he put himself against a nearby tree.

Cera quickly got up and approached him.

- What's wrong?

Ruben groaned.

- I couldn't find anything else but pieces of that shield.

Cera blinked twice.

- Don't worry, surely, you'll find something else tomorrow. We should get going, grandpa must be furious. – She decided, taking the path she was going through again.

Ruben followed her into the woods, in the Quiña Town's direction.

Five cloaked figures stood around a marble-made circular table inside a room with an interesting effect: they seemed to be floating over the cosmos when in fact they had invisible ground under them.

Four of them were cloaked in white, including their heads.

One of them, though, had its head uncovered, a blond, yet darkened, woman in a black cloak sat on a different chair, like a throne, sided by two, giant hands covered in white gloves.

- I demand an explanation, Aryline. – One of the figures demanded, punching the table.

- Why did you send the apprentice to the Luminia Kingdom when she was the only one safe in all of the P.B.P. staff? – Another one joined.

- Why didn't you even try to fight off the Darkness Ruler and the Eve's Comet when you had the chance?

- Protectors of the Four Elements, calm yourselves. – The woman demanded in a soft, yet striking voice. – As Ruler of the Emperor's Realm, I have knowledge none of you does about the Eve's Comet.

The four figures started to chat between themselves.

- I should make it clear that it was my choice to send the apprentice and her friends into the Luminia Kingdom.

- And why did you, Aryline, do that?

- I have taken this decision for one simple factor: their courage, their loyalty, and their most precious values. I decided that I should have sent them in order to save that kingdom from total ruin.

- But why let them lose all their memories?! Why put them apart?! – A protector interrupted.

- Why did you take the Origin Sword from Ruben and the Master Blade from David?!

- Please, Flago, calm yourself down. – Aryline ordered to the last protector speaking. – You too, Aldium. – Aryline took a deep breath. – A legend tells of a blade that must be filled by the Five Elements of the Luminia Kingdom, namely, the Wind, Water, Fire, Thunder and Earth in order to keep the balance of the world.

- It is a legend, Aryline! We are divine figures, we know of the truth of legends and what's false about them! We know when a legend exists or not!

- And we can say that legend is not true!

Aryline sighed.

- No, you do not. – She simply stated. Flago became furious. – This legend is true… For David possesses the blade.

Flago, one of the protectors, got up and shouted:

- That is impossible, Aryline! Such legend could not exist in a universe created from the fusion of two worlds!

- And those two worlds, which worlds are they, Flago? – Aryline interrogated.

- Reef Continent and the world before time! – Flago roared, making his voice echo through the room. The other protectors turned their looks to the divine one, then to Aryline.

- You never think, Flago. That led to Flavius's decision of separating the Flago Province from the Luminia Kingdom.

- What do you mean?!

- I mean that the Master Sword was forged in the Emperor's Realm, not in the Mesopian Continent, like David thinks and all of you think!

The protectors went silent.

- What did you just say…? – Flago demanded.

- The Master Sword is the blade spoken in this legend; it is the Master Sword that must be infused with all Five Elements of that world!

- But why didn't you just give him the sword and we give him the elements?!

- The Master Sword has no effect against the Darkness Ruler while the Elements aren't infused in the blade. If David doesn't know this, he will go into battle against him without any protection.

Trago, Protector of the Water Element, muttered something, but spoke:

- How come he needs the elements if he already fought the Darkness Ruler and didn't have them?

- You said it well. He fought him. He didn't destroy him.

The protectors switched puzzled looks.

- Wait… Aryline… are you planning…

- To destroy the Darkness Ruler once and for all. Yes, that is my plan, Aldium. – Aryline completed, clenching her hands.

The protectors started to chat between themselves again, now with Flago speaking especially high.

- You still haven't answered our question, Aryline. Why didn't you just give him the sword?

- And why didn't you let them preserve their memory? They know of nothing from the Emperor's Realm now, but they don't also know anything of the Darkness Ruler! And while they don't, they'll be in danger! – Prach, the Protector of the Wind, started to list a few of the aspects.

Aryline sighed once more and relaxed on the throne, returning to her position a few seconds later.

- They won't be endangered, Prach. They will know of the Luminia Kingdom, but not of the Reef Continent, Emperor's Realm or Dark World. It was a choice I had to make in order to preserve their security. Also, the Darkness Ruler is no longer a spirit; he acquired a body, and is planning to rule over Luminia Kingdom. We shall not make his task an easy one, and we shall take him to the edges of his capacities.

- What about the sword, Aryline? – Flago slowly repeated word after word.

- The sword is somewhere in the Luminia Kingdom. It is up for them to find it, and neither of the four of you shall tell any of them about us, the Reef Continent, Darkness Ruler and the Emperor's Realm. – Aryline got up and called the two hands to pick her up. – Do I make a point? – She certified.

The protectors got up and bent themselves to her.

- Yes, Eternal Ruler of the Emperor's Realm…

- Yes, Eternal… - Flago said at the same time, in a different pitch of voice.

As Aryline covered her head with the hood, the hands floated up and disappeared.

The Protectors, formed a square and hold their hands to the center, where a bright circle appeared, allowing them to disappear from the room.

And next chapter, the rest of the gangs may come up, along with some other surprises.


	16. Getting ready for the festival

Chapter 16: Getting ready for the Festival

The sun shone through some clouds over Neast, a small village to the west of the Prach Province. The village, surrounded by the Licove Forest, was a thriving one, with only a mayor on the control chair of this town.

As some towers rose from the low houses, it was easy to see they were part of lighthouses, since the Gota Sea made its coast in Prach and in the north-western province, Trago.

Up a hill, with a magnificent view to the ocean, stood a two-floor house.

A hut, actually, outside which a young man in a green tunic and white, dirty leggings gazed upon the sea.

He was sitting on the grass, against the house, under a slightly cold shadow. He shivered once and sighed. After all, cold time was coming up.

As another breeze blew from the Gota Sea, the young man got up and went inside the hut, entering a room with only a few shelves on the wall, roughly painted, a fireplace and a wooden table.

A couple of stairs led to the second floor where, in the only room there, with two small beds, slept a young, brown coloured longneck, quite relaxed.

- Don't you think you've already had enough sleep? – The young man said, sitting on the other bed.

The longneck groaned in disagreement and moved a little, quickly starting to snore again.

The young man sighed and shook his head, getting up again.

The sparkle on the iron shield hanging on the wall caught his attention, as made him turn his look at it.

The shield was hanging over a drawing made by a local artist, Skaita. He was known even in Pastri, so he had quite the touch.

The shield, marked with many drawings, was quite polished, reflecting his image like a mirror. The plate covering the shield was the best even Roven, the local blacksmith, could find, and the shield hadn't been made by him.

Gazing at it, the young man turned to the room's window. It had a simple glass cover, allowing some light to enter.

- We should start getting ready for the festival, Littlefoot.

- I heard Shorty's gonna be there, tonight.

- But you'll go, right?

Littlefoot took a while to answer, he was now awake, even though still stretched out.

- Probably.

- You know, Malix loves to see you around the festival.

- Well, Malix will have to find someone else to adm-…

The longneck halted as a voice was heard in the background.

- Littlefoot! David! Are you home?! – A gasping voice called outside.

- Oh no… Not Malix… David, get me out of here! – The longneck asked in desperation.

- Sorry, Littlefoot. – David replied, walking to the stairs. Someone was already coming up. – He's already in the stairs.

- Ah, there you are, you two! – Malix's voice suddenly seemed very close to David's ears.

In fact, when the young man turned around, he could see a medium height man, wearing a red coat with green borders over an animal skin made shirt.

However, Malix only wore it because he was the village's mayor, and it had been a gift from the Royal Family. Also, he only wore it now because the festival was coming.

Malix grabbed Littlefoot by the neck at first sight, greeting David next.

- What brings you here, Malix? – David asked, leaving a seat for the mayor.

- What else…? – Littlefoot muttered.

- Well, I thought I'd drop by and invite Littlefoot here to come see our decoration on the king's statue! After all, there's a longneck coming this year! – Malix spoke as if they were miles away.

- Really?! And who is it?! – Littlefoot piped up, jumping from the bed.

Malix showed a wide grin.

- I'll tell you on the way there. – He answered, dragging Littlefoot.

Both walked out of the hut, leaving David in the room looking through thee window as many villagers started to put up the decorations.

Twilight started to cover the lands.

"I suppose I should get ready as well…" David thought, turning back to the stairs as well.

- Ok, catch! – A boy shouted from the other side of a plain.

- I got it! – Another boy answered, running as fast as he could to catch a disk that was thrown in the woods' direction.

However, the disk ended up on top of a tree, between two branches.

As Ruben and Cera were leaving the forest, the kids were meeting up with upset looks.

- Hey, what was that for?! – One of the kids complained.

- Why didn't you catch it?! – The other one angrily replied.

Ruben immediately stepped in.

- Hey, calm down, both of you! I'll go get your disk! – He offered, turning to the tree.

However, the disk wasn't there anymore.

Instead, Cera was bringing it, delivering it to the kids.

Ruben was wordless.

- So, I suppose everything's settled, huh? – The threehorn asked, continuing to walk to Quiña, which's houses were already viewable in the horizon.

Ruben mumbled about.

- Yes, let's go… I guess…

He followed her towards the village, leaving both kids playing again.

The Colio Mountains were now visible in the distance as well.

Aryline scrolled through the Infinity Palace, always thoughtful about the staff and gang's situation.

Occasionally, she would step outside the corridors into the gardens, and after appreciating the Golden Sprouts, she would go back inside, and she repeated this cycle over and over.

At one point, however, she stopped.

One of the Protectors was standing in front of a bush, something glowing in front of him.

Aryline's curious nature – she was part human, after all – made her check what this god was up to.

She could see that it was Grast, Protector of the Earth Element, in his favourite hobby: taking care of the plants.

- Glad to see you are relaxed when all others are like that, Grast. – She commented.

The god turned to her without taking the cloak out and bent himself.

- Eternal Ruler of the Emperor's Realm! Accept my apologies for not having been present on the meeting held with the Four Protectors!

Aryline actually chuckled.

- Don't worry. You didn't miss anything.

- You know it is my role in the Luminia Kingdom to keep stability to the Grast Province… But your plan might have given me something else to entertain myself with!

- I know, I'm sorry. – Aryline apologized, returning inside.

- One more thing, my queen… - Grast added. Aryline turned around. – Remember to watch your back. Not many of the gods agreed with your plan to defeat the Darkness Ruler forever.

- I know of it, Grast, but thank you. I am much obliged with your suggestion.

Aryline went inside again, walking very slowly. Grast was right, actually: if the gods reacted like that, who knows what they could do…

- It is the Longneck Elder, my boy! – Malix said very quietly, so none of the villagers readying things would hear.

Littlefoot's look turned into a surprised one for a while.

- Wow… the Longneck Elder from the Royal Family?! He's coming here?!

- Yes, but keep it quiet!

Malix kept walking with the longneck through the town.

The houses had their front walls covered in decorations, and many lamps were lit in the middle of the streets as a corridor of pots with beautiful plants was placed in the main street, towards a statue in the middle of the town, between the three lighthouses.

The statue, a stone representation of Flavius, had it arms decorated with glowing spheres, and the sword held in one hand, made in pure metal, was beautifully shining with the torches on the statue's base.

It was a quite big statue, since it stood high above all other houses.

Night had finally settled over Neast, and the Gota Sea shimmered under the clear sky.

- This is the statue? – Littlefoot asked, trying to contain the statue as a whole in his eyes. – Its… huge…

- I know, but it's beautiful, isn't it? And there's someone else coming to the festival as well! – Malix declared.

Littlefoot's curiosity rose at a fast pace.

- Who is it?

- They come from the Colio mountains to the south… It's the Birdmen Tribe and Flyer Tribe. They shouldn't take long to arrive, actually, since they're much closer to us then the longnecks. Besides, a single longneck making a trip in his age isn't easy.

- Who's coming from the flyer tribe? – Littlefoot asked. He was eager to meet all those noble species, since all of them were somehow connected to Neast.

Malix thought for a bit.

- I think it's their prince and Elder Dorow. – Malix answered. – And from the birdmen tribe, I think we'll have Elder Pard here.

- So many elders… why doesn't the population come? – Littlefoot asked, puzzled.

Malix was clueless.

- I have no idea, Littlefoot. They're the ones who don't come, so, beats me. – Both silenced for a few moments, until the mayor continued. – But don't worry about it, there'll be more of population than just the flyers and Birdmen, and whatever! We'll have the Neast population here, so, let's just try to have some fun!

Littlefoot was about to shout in agreement, but another question came up.

- Is it true that Shorty will be here today?

Malix sighed.

- You know that Shorty is just as part of Neast as you are. He's a longneck. Why don't you two get along?

- We do. – Littlefoot quickly replied. As he saw that Malix kept looking with a doubtful look, the longneck was forced to continue. – Ok, we don't get along that well...

Malix seemed satisfied.

- Don't worry. You will in time. – The mayor assured, turning his look to the statue again.

Cera slowly sneaked up into the house, avoiding to step on anything on the ground that could possibly make noise. If their father was to see them at that hour, they'd be busted.

- Ok, here's the plan: we go upstairs and then you ran as fast as you can to the bed in time for me to also run into it. Deal? – Ruben started.

Both he and the threehorn were adopted children of a Quiña farmer who only lived for that: farming.

Their house was a low one, although bigger than average farmer houses, since they had individual rooms and their windows were decorated with fine materials.

Outside, though, the house needed to be painted, and many of the statues were getting full of cracks.

Also, the farmer wasn't an easy person, and many in Quiña were actually surprised on how this man, a rude farmer called Nacul, would accept this pair of somewhat troublesome children.

Curiously, Nacul demanded to be called Ag-Nacul, and never explained anybody why.

Back to the troubled pair, Cera passed very slowly in front of the main room's entrance, so Nacul wouldn't see her.

As soon as she completely crossed the entrance, Ruben jumped from one side to the other.

Both sighed in relief and continued through the corridor.

However, just as they were reaching the stairs, their hearts nearly jumped through their mouth as they heard Nacul's voice from the living room, forcing Cera to run upstairs at full steam while Ruben tried to follow.

However, when they were upstairs they noticed Nacul was only coughing, and that they shouldn't have ran up, since the farmer was now up and walking towards the stairs.

Seeing this, Ruben pushed Cera into her room and ran into his, in time for Nacul to reach both rooms and see that the beds had someone in.

He stared it for a few seconds, before groaning and going downstairs again.

In Ruben's room, the boy came out of behind the door, gasping wildly as he threw himself to the bed. A few pieces of clothing fell off, and the bed lost its volume.

- I hope Cera managed to not get caught. – He sighed, dragging himself into the bed.

- Well thanks a lot for the help, Ruben! – Her voice muttered, as she appeared on the room's entrance.

Ruben looked at the threehorn as he got up.

- You were the one who ran up as soon as he coughed! And he just coughed! Imagine what you could have done if he actually shouted! – Ruben replied, getting into the bed again.

Cera groaned and made her way to her room as well, somehow closing the door very quietly.

"She won't admit it was her fault..." Ruben thought with a grin.

David made his way down the hill towards the village, which shimmered thanks to the number of torches either surrounding the village or inside the village itself.

The young man brought his normal tunic, although his undershirt, usually dirty, was clean, as well as his boots, which were tidied up – although they were getting wet each step he took due to the grass's condition.

He looked down to the town with a grin while some foreign villagers passed by him and ran down the hill with joyful shouts.

After seeing more and more of these foreigners, David couldn't help but join them in their scurry.

However, he stopped when a strange being passed by him. It seemed like a normal human, but it wore a pointy white hat, almost not fitting his head, due to its size. It also carried brown bracelets, and something like a coat made of fur over its shoulders, nearly covering its arms completely. Its boots, also, had an extra layer made of a crystalline material.

David decided to approach the figure, since it seemed to not be too anxious to reach Neast, as it walked at a normal pace instead of running like anyone else.

When the young man touched the figure's shoulder, it turned to him and David could actually see that small bag was hanging on its waist. He immediately recognized it.

- You're a... birdman... aren't you? – He mumbled loud enough so the figure would hear.

It seemed surprised and showed a grin, since its face preserved human characteristics.

- Oh, you know of us! How, if I may ask?

- Hum, our mayor tells us much about the birdman from the Colio Montains, but... it's a surprise to see one here! I didn't know one would come!

The birdman stared at him with surprise.

- Oh no, I'm not the only one. I was, though, the first.

- There's more?! – David gasped.

- Yes, but they are a tad late. You see, we crossed the Prach plains under heavy rain.

David stared to south. No clouds were visible.

- How come you came with heavy rains if there aren't any clouds?

The birdman laughed.

- Not that rain! We came under a rain of arrows! – He replied, showing a arrow that still had a few feathers stuck.

David opened his eyes widely.

- You were hit?! You should come and take care of that! – The young man alerted, pushing the birdman a little so he would come.

- Don't worry, it only hit my wing on the edge, so it only ripped a few feathers.

They were already near the village by now, since the birdman accepted to follow David. The latest stopped pushing the figure, walking normally by his side.

- If you say so... I guess it's your wing. – David ironically replied, letting out a giggle.

The birdman also giggled, but was grabbed with great strength by a coated man: Malix.

- At last, a birdman as arrived! And I see you have already met young David! Very good, indeed!

Littlefoot followed Malix to near David and the birdman, but didn't seem much surprise about seeing this foreign species.

The birdman, however, gasped in surprise as soon as he laid his eyes on the longneck.

- Oh my! You're a... – The birdman said, trying to catch his breath as he kneed. – ...a longneck! A real longneck! I never thought I would see a longneck again ever since I flew over the Grast Province when I was a kid!

- What's so special about them? – David asked, but he turned to Malix with a surprised face as he saw the mayor about to shout out of apparent happiness.

- But that is fantastic! – He finally shouted. – So you know, a longneck is coming to Neast! The Longneck Elder in the Royal Family!

The birdman seemed to stop completely after hearing this.

- The Longneck Elder...? – The birdman said, getting up very slowly.

His face now seemed worried.

Malix got worried.

- Did I say anything I shouldn't have...?

- It's a birdman! – Someone shouted from one of the houses' window.

Immediately, shouts like this were heard all over Neast, and many villagers ran out of their houses to see this figure closer.

However, the birdman maintained a worried face for a few moments, but tried to relax and join the villagers' happiness.

David tried to figure what made his new friend get that worried, but the statue caught his attention.

Soon, there was an important figure coming. They couldn't seem anything but happy.

However... he couldn't ignore that. It was impossible.

Littlefoot was still paralyzed with the fact that the birdman reacted like that upon seeing him.

"I'm... important...?" He thought with a blank look.

So? What do you think? Please comment!


	17. The beginning implies an end part 1

Boy, one long chapter! I had to re-write this document twice because my pen-drive decided to self-destruct itself, so I had to start from zero, sing only what remembered of writing.

Warning: Susceptible to hurt the sensitive ones near the middle.

Chapter 17 – The beginning implies an end (Part 1)

The village quickly grew in activity. Not a single person was seen inside its home.

The population spread across the village in no time, and eventually started to join in the feast. Skaita was near the statue, along with a family, drawing it on a small board with great precision.

Malix was also near the statue, sitting on a worked log, surrounded by young kids.

David and Littlefoot didn't even draw near the mayor, since they had heard the story so many times, they could tell it back and forth.

Malix told a story of his childhood, in which he believes to have seen the Five Elements.

It started in the Colio Mountains, where he had gone to deliver a message to the birdmen tribe.

However, he lost himself on his tracks, and ultimately fell on a crack between two rocks.

There, in the dark, he saw a flaming sphere, with a strange symbol marked over it.

He doesn't tell much more of the story, but what he tells is enough to know he didn't see anything at all, since the Fire Element is well-known belonging to the Flago Province, not the Colio Province.

Therefore, the twosome decided to join the birdman, who had already gathered quite the group around him, near Sarah's café. The pair was in the front row.

The birdman's knowledge on the Five Elements was wider than Malix's, and just by hearing him, David wanted to hear even more.

However, just when he was about to speak, Littlefoot went ahead.

- Hum, so, why are longnecks important? – He asked.

The birdman laughed at the question, leaving Littlefoot a little embarrassed.

However, the birdman quickly added:

- It's not that they're important. I'm just fond of longnecks for their sense of leadership, for their strength. Look at us, birdmen, for example. – With this, the birdman grabbed the shoulder's coat pieces and crossed his arms. When he extended them again, a beautiful pair of white, angelic wings was shown, causing the awe among the spectators as a light rain of white feathers, glowing slightly with the torches from the statue, as they fell over the children who eagerly tried to catch them. – We're humans with wings! No offense, David. – He quickly added.

- None taken. – David answered, readjusting his chair.

- And what can humans do? Nothing too special! – The birdman now shouted these words. Some of the villagers started to comment between them.

- The Elder! The Longneck Elder has arrived! – A villager shouted, running down the hill.

In fact, a massive body appeared from within the foliage, a longneck, much larger than Littlefoot.

At that, Malix shouted a few words and the villagers followed him in a run up the hill, quickly leaving behind only few habitants around the town square, with David and the birdman near the café.

Heat covered the halls atmosphere, with a strong sunlight hitting the carpet on the ground. A man cloaked in black crossed the halls, walking at a rather fast pace. He seemed to be heading towards giant golden doors, as he stopped just in front of them.

He didn't have to wait or talk for the doors to open themselves, allowing the man to go inside.

The new section was a relatively rich one. Sand flowed from the walls with a precious light, seeming gold, from the whitish brick walls. A red carpet crossed the room, from the two golden doors to a throne on which sat a king, garbed in white clothes, almost like a priest.

- Ag-Karont! What brings you to my castle, brother? – The king said, getting up. – Get that cloak out, it is hot in here!

The man took the cloak off the head, only.

- You know what brings me here, Ag-Aume. My conversation with Flavius. – Karont answered with an angry expression.

Aume sat once more with a terrified look.

- Do not tell me…

- But I will, Ag-Aume. Flavius denied our unity with the Luminia Kingdom. – Karont interrupted, replying brutally. – I suggest you attack now.

Aume assumed a surprised face.

- Have you gone insane?! Flavius would be victorious with ease! I would have to be exiled from my place on the throne!

- Then give me the army and I shall assume defeat if such happens. – Karont quickly replied.

- NO! – Aume shouted, making his voice echo through the palace.

A short moment of silence followed, in which the two brothers gazed at each other in the eyes.

Karont's expression got even madder:

- Very well, then! Die you shall in this wicked desert! – He cursed, turning away.

- Come back here, Ag-Karont! I have yet to finish talking to you!

- But I have finished my talk! You shall hear of me again! – Karont shouted once more, somehow closing the doors with a bang.

The man ran through the halls towards a balcony to the outside.

The balcony had a short wall, which allowed to view the city at the palace's feet: the Catalia Town, located in the middle of the Flagosian Desert, north of Luminia. In the distance, far from the town walls, sand started to rise, along with a minor hurricane.

Karont stepped onto the wall and breathed deeply.

- You fools… I have no purpose to this world… - He said between his teeth.

With that, he closed his eyes and fell forward, causing himself to start a free fall towards the town's roofs.

From afar, due to the palace's white and golden color, one could see something black falling at high speed from the palace's balconies.

However, suddenly, a flash occurred, and, when the light disappeared, nothing was there. Not even the shout that was firstly heard.

A butler, garbed in white and blue clothes, walked into a large room, carrying a plate on the right hand.

The room was illuminated by lit candles, above which stood many carpets with the Royal Family's crest, above which still stood large windows with stained glass, depicting the kings through ages. An orchestra could be heard in the background.

A large, golden plated wooden table occupied most of the room, surrounded by various chairs and a few candles on top of the board.

On one end sat a green, purple-eyed spiketail, looking eagerly at the plate that approached him.

Quickly enough, the butler placed the silver plate in front of the spiketail and took off the coat to unveil lush stripes of grass, finely accompanied by succulent looking red berries with much volume, as well as purple colored fruit on the plate's borders.

- Enjoy… - The butler wished, stepping back towards the entrance.

The spiketail nodded in agreement and licked in joy before throwing himself at the food with carefree hunger.

As the Elder descended the hill, David gazed out to the population as it started to surround the royal figure.

The birdman simply sighed at the sight.

- You have no idea of the danger… - He mumbled away.

David did hear something in the breeze, but only turned and asked:

- What did you say?

The birdman seemed to have awakened from a trance, as he shook his head twice before looking back at David.

- Oh, nothing, really… - He mumbled. – We should get going…

David, not very convinced, nodded and proceeded towards the longneck followed by the half-asleep birdman.

In fact, around half their paths, David noticed the birdman had stopped, and had been left behind. The young man approached the foreign kind.

- Are you alright? – He asked. The birdman kept looking towards south.

- I am afraid the worst has befallen my group… I should have not gone ahead. – He turned his head to David and raised his hand. – Excuse me, David, but I must go. Maybe I shall come back in time for the festival to start.

David grabbed the hand and nodded.

The birdman then turned his arms to wings once again, before flying away over the houses, soon to be unnoticed by the darkness.

With that, David continued towards the longneck, around which started to form a wide group of people, with Malix walking just in front of the royal figure.

The wind stopped blowing. His face wasn't cold anymore, and the sound of his mantle shaking violently with the fall, had stopped.

Karont opened his eyes as he realized he wasn't falling anymore. However, his new location seemed to terrify him even more than before.

He seemed to be in the world below the stars, long spoken in Flagosian lore. However, this was nothing like what he was taught: the stars weren't gleaming in a white light, but in a red color.

The background itself wasn't blue, and it wasn't filled with clouds of many colors. It was, instead, black, covered in purple clouds.

Karont's mantle was now still, since the mage itself was seemingly floating.

_**- Welcome, Karont…**__** - **_A voice echoed from deep within the clouds.

- Who are you?! How do you know my name?! Do you even know who you are dealing with?! – Karont shouted, furious, curling his fists.

- _**No, it would seem you do not know who YOU are dealing with! – **_The voice gave emphasis to the pronoun. – _**I have summoned you… I sensed you had what it takes to wield my power… I am ready to pass it to you… - **_The voice added.

Karont's face relaxed, but his thoughts became even more egoistical.

- But of course. I am Karont, the mage of Aume's court! How else would I not be able to wield them? I can handle any power!

- _**That is indeed good to hear… I shall pass them to you, then… these are powerful and dangerous gifts… but you are able to control them…**_

Karont smirked demoniacally, but this expression quickly disappeared from his face as he saw something like black dust coming from the clouds.

- Wait, what are you doing?! – Karont cried out as the dust started to surround and engulf him. – You said you would give me your powers! STOP!

- _**But I will… Karont, mage of darkness! – **_The voice roared, fading away with a maniacal laughter.

Karont's desperate pleads kept echoing through the dust while it slowly covered everything in the mage's view.

Eventually, everything was completely covered in a black layer. No sound was audible. Nothing moved.

And so it stayed for some time…

Until suddenly, two yellow, glowing eyes opened in the darkness, followed by a devilish snort, before fading away into the darkness again.

Not too long after, the dust split away, revealing the world below the stars once more.

Littlefoot was astounded by the longneck's appearance, but not as much as David, who had grown with Littlefoot for a very long time: the longneck was marked by age, a massive, grey body many times the younger longneck.

- Welcome to Neast, Elder! – Malix kept saying.

- You surely are persistent, aren't you? – The Elder replied at last.

- He's like that. – Littlefoot commented.

The Elder turned his head and seemed to have noticed for the first time the existence of a longneck nearby.

- Oh-! And who are you, young one? – He asked with a kind tone.

- I'm… uh… Littlefoot, Elder… - Littlefoot timidly answered.

The Elder chuckled with the longneck's reaction.

- Littlefoot… It's a good name… don't be timid in talking to me: we're two longnecks, just think as if I'm not from the Luminia Castle; it's all that tells us apart. – The Elder added, drawing closer to the younger longneck.

Littlefoot immediately got his spirits up as he acquired a joyful expression.

- Indeed, that is Littlefoot, our only longneck in the village! – Malix interrupted. – He lives with David on that house up the hill, near the forest! – The mayor pointed to the house that was now distant from the group of neastians.

- Is it so…? – The Elder replied, looking at the house. It seemed good for a normal life; he couldn't comment that, since he had lived most of his elderly life in a castle.

- Yes, as a matter a fact… - Malix added, struggling into the group of people. The Elder and Littlefoot exchanged curious looks as the mayor had suddenly decided to get into the crowd. However, a few seconds later, Malix returned with David at hand. The young man's clothes were dirtier, and, for some reason, full of footprints. His hair was messed up, and he seemed to be exhausted. – This is David, Elder! – Malix introduced, showing the young man.

David only managed a low "Hello", before falling back on Malix's arms.

- My boy, where have you been?! – The Elder laughed.

- Yeah, David, what happened to you? – Littlefoot joined the Elder's laughter as both started to walk away from the population, towards the beach. Malix was able to realize that the Elder had said to Littlefoot something like "I've got to speak to you.", as they walked away with rather serious looks.

Malix and David, along with the crowd, saw both longnecks walking away, leaving the humans hanging with ignorant looks.

With the Elder gone, the crowd started to split, leaving only David and the mayor on the village's square.

- Say, David… where did your friend birdman go? – Malix asked, leaving David on one of Sarah's café's chairs.

- I don't know, he said he shouldn't have com ahead of his group or something… that last hit left me a little confused. – David answered, pointing at a harsh blow on the back of the head.

Malix sighed and turned to the statue. For some reason, the torches' light was starting to fade, and with it, the light around most of the village was fading away.

- Hmm… I'd better get that fixed. – He said, heading into one of the houses. David followed his actions as the mayor knocked on a wooden door to be attended by a man in a white apron, who happily let Malix inside.

As soon as the door was closed, David scrolled the square with his look. The population had split again, since the Elder had decided to talk with Littlefoot alone.

A few kids played behind the statue with leaf-looking toys, while Skaita had continued painting more and more drawings, as if it had been nothing.

The café also started to get populated, and many roars were heard inside. Sarah was preparing the banquet, probably.

The young man sighed and tried to relax, sitting back and closing his eyes. The blow started to sooth.

Just as his eyes were closed, Malix came out with the man in white apron, who carried a lit torch in his hand.

Both approached the statue while talking, after which the man approached the flame to the lower torch.

The flame seemed to have been transferred from one torch to another, leaving the statue's torch lit.

As if it had been magic, the higher ones got lit as well, with the same vigor.

Both did a handshake, and the man returned into the house, leaving Malix proudly staring at the statue.

A cry of pain was heard echoing through the halls, followed by many steps.

Quickly, seven guards surrounded Aume, keeping their spears pointed at the throne room's door.

However, the latest were blown away, lifting a cloud of black dust that shrouded the guards and the king in darkness.

A shadow ran through the mist and grabbed a guard, dragging it into the hall in a matter of seconds.

More and more shadows kept appearing, grabbing more guards, who were dragged into the halls as well.

Eventually, no guards were left. Just then, the dust retreated into the corridors, and Karont was seen entering the room.

Aume seemed to attempt to climb up the throne in fear.

- Give me your army! – Karont shouted in a thicker, lower pitched voice.

- Never! – Aume readily answered.

- Then suffer the consequences!

Karont snickered as Aume saw his brother's hands being enveloped by a purple aura.

…

From far away a cry of pain was heard, along with the explosion of the tallest floor of the Catalia Castle.

- There it is… Farour… - Cera greedily smirked.

Both her and Ruben were hiding behind a rock near the town walls, from which they could gaze upon the complete view of Farour.

Farour was a town north of Quiña, but very different at the same time. Many lords lived here, and this was a prime target for Cera and Ruben to get a good meal for the next day.

- Do you know where Count Orim's house is, right? – Ruben confirmed.

Cera grunted and rolled her eyes.

- Of course I do. What about you? Do you know where Mssa's house is? She's really wealthy, you know? – Cera countered.

- I've got everything up here. Let's get something to eat, then! – Ruben replied, as both got up and passed from under the gate. The watch towers' archers were doing a break.

Quickly enough, Cera ran towards a deposit on a very well decorated house's wall.

In fact, most of the town was "very well decorated", since the streets' floor was in stone, not in dirt like Quiña.

The threehorn jumped inside the deposit, coming out with a bag full of containers in her mouth.

Ruben did almost the same thing. He, however, managed to open a window using only a wire, entering a room and picking up a finely made bag. He jumped outside before anyone would notice, and the two "burglars" reunited on the town's fountain.

- Piece of cake, Ruben. – Cera proudly announced, throwing the bag to the ground. Bottles full of various juices fell out, along with other containers inside which was meat, fish, and other kinds of food that the wealthy ones didn't even touch.

- Just that? Look what I managed. – Ruben also announced, showing a wallet.

- What's that for? – Cera asked, puzzled.

- Not what this is for… what's inside it! – Ruben finished, opening the wallet. He turned it upside down and many rubies and sapphires fell, shimmering under the perfect full moon.

Cera could hardly believe her eyes.

- How did you get that?!

- I've got my ways… - Ruben proudly answered, showing the wire he used.

- Let's get out, then! Someone's up! – Cera quickly decided, and both ran towards the gates.

The two longnecks had been staring at the moon from the beach for quite a while. Littlefoot was still puzzled about the Elder's order, and couldn't help but ask again.

- What did you want to tell me, Elder? – Littlefoot asked, curious.

The Elder stopped gazing at the moon and turned to the younger longneck.

- It is something very important… Related to the longneck tribe itself.

Littlefoot opened his eyes widely as his amaze grew.

- We…

- Arrow Rain! Everyone inside! – A man shouted, carrying an arrow on his hand. It was drenched in blood.

Malix turned to the forest as numerous sounds resonated from the foliage, followed by the shimmering of multiple arrows in the sky.

- David, get up! Skaita, get everyone in the beach! – The mayor immediately ordered, pushing man villagers towards the ocean. – Elder, we need help!

The first row of arrows came, striking various villagers in random places. One of the arrows even pierced through the café's cover, falling in front of David, between his legs. This made the boy rise to his feet immediately, helping other villagers to go to the beach.

Skaita, after getting a group of people rescued, came back with a bow at hand.

Another row of arrows came, this time causing less fallen.

Malix quickly scrolled through the hurt in the square, searching for those alive. His search, however, was unsuccessful. With that, he ran towards the statue and climbed it by the back, eventually reaching the figurine's crown.

A third and fourth row of arrows was shot, and an arrow missed Malix very narrowly.

Malix could see that the situation was much worse than he thought. A fourth row of arrows came in fire, which made the village's roofs to catch fire.

The Longneck Elder was about to run up the hill when the rain stopped, but something made him stop as well. Malix, Skaita and David also stared puzzled at the forest.

Suddenly, a tower of black dust rose from the trees, falling towards Neast, engulfing it in darkness.

- Everyone head back! Quick! – Malix shouted, trying to find the way down.

The Elder was about to retreat when something grabbed his paw, a shadow, followed by many more.

- I'm stuck, here! – He cried out, starting to be pushed towards the forest. More and more shadows kept coming, grabbing the carcasses on the ground and dragging them into the forest.

- Elder! – Littlefoot shouted, running into the mist.

- Littlefoot, stay back! – David ordered, trying to grab the longneck.

- No! He's the Elder! We can't let him die!

- I've got him covered, kid. – Skaita said, running towards the mist with his bow ready.

- I'm stuck too! Help me, David!

- Coming! – David answered, trying to find the statue.

However, he stopped on his tracks as more arrow shots were heard.

- It must be Skaita, I can't hold myself back. – He said to himself, continuing his run.

But he stopped again as he heard a distinctive cry of pain in the mist, near him.

- Hold it, Malix! Someone's hurt, here! – He shouted, running towards the sound. – Don't worry, you'll be safe with m-…

David gasped as he saw the hit person, nearly falling back in fear.

- No… no… not… - He stammered, walking in a fast pace.

But his fears were confirmed.

Malix was lying on the ground, an arrow piercing his chest. He still moved, but they were weak moves.

- David… save yourself… - He said in a weak voice, moving his arm boldly.

- No… don't quit, now… please… - David kept saying, about to burst in tears.

- I'll take care of him, David. You take this. – Roven said, coming out of the mist. Roven was the same man that helped Malix with the torches. He was handing David a sword. A black blade sword, with a gray colored handle.

- But…

- Now, David! Go! – Roven ordered, dropping the sword and grabbing the mayor's arms.

- DAVID! – Littlefoot's voice echoed in the mist.

- Go help him, quick! – Roven ordered between gasps of effort.

David picked up the sword and got up, running into the darkness while shouting:

- Littlefoot, speak!

- DAVID! – Littlefoot's voice cried out again.

David immediately picked up his direction, running into the mist even more. He quickly came across a group of four human like creatures, but instead, dyed black, and with a single, giant, yellow eye. In the middle of this group was Littlefoot, scrolling his look between the four as they drew closer.

- Hey, you! Leave that longneck alone! – David shouted as he jumped towards the closest creature and cut it into two halves, which made it fall.

The three other now focused on him, as their hands and arms turned into sharp body parts.

- I'm screwed… - David cursed.

- Don't you even think of it! – Littlefoot shouted, ramming against one of the creatures, hitting another one's legs with his tail, forcing it to fall.

The last creature seemed confused, as it scrolled between the two.

Using this advantage, David cut the creature's head, making the torso explode in dust.

The young man sighed in relief as he saw the three remaining creatures simply explode, leaving him and Littlefoot in the mist, standing in a stressed situation.

- What's happening, David?!

- I have no idea, Littlefoot…

- But I will tell you! – A harsh voice said from nowhere.

David quickly assumed a panting attack position, while Littlefoot and he rotated to see anything that could move.

- There, Littlefoot… - David mumbled without moving.

The longneck slowly turned around towards the direction David was facing.

In fact, something was approaching, a tall person, cloaked in black.

- Who are you?! – David demanded.

- I am a shadow never to meet… - The voice replied. Suddenly, the shadow in the mist disappeared, and the voice returned just behind the two. – I am Karont… mage of darkness!

- Mage this! – Littlefoot replied, hitting the man in the legs with his tail, causing him to fall.

David quickly turned and made a downward thrust, attempting to pierce the figure with the sword.

However, the sword only pierced into the ground, leaving David unarmed.

- You think you can fool me, ignorant one? – The voice said at David's ear. A cold gasp was emanated, freezing David's reactions. He couldn't move in fear.

Littlefoot couldn't move either, as his legs were trapped by arms made of dynamic dust.

- You shall perish before me… - The man said, raising his arm, which was enveloped by a purple aura.

Just as he was about to hit David with it, an arrow pierced through it and Karont simply disappeared.

- You shall hear of me again… - Was all that was left.

- David! Littlefoot! – Skaita's voice echoed through the mist.

Suddenly, David fell on his legs, as well as Littlefoot, leaving both lying on the ground, fainted.

The first part has ended! What will happen in the second?


	18. The beginning implies an end part 2

Ok, here's the second part for "The beginning implies an end". I've been creating a few species that will appear in the future, but you'll see.

Read and review, please!

Warning: Susceptible to hurt the sensitive ones near the middle.

Previously on "The New Order"…

- Ag-Karont! What brings you to my castle, brother?

- You have no idea of the danger…

- Welcome, Karont…

- Who are you?! How do you know my name?!

- Give me your army!

- Never!

- Then suffer the consequences!

- There it is… Farour…

- Elder!

- Littlefoot, stay back!

- Who are you?

- I'm a shadow never to meet…

- David! Littlefoot!

Chapter 18 – The beginning implies an end (Part 2)

More and more lights kept being lit as Ruben and Cera crossed the streets at a frenetic pace.

- Do you think we were spotted? – Cera asked, gasping.

- Only if you were! I was as careful as I could! – Ruben admitted proudly.

- No way!

A few shouts now followed every light lit, as the gates appeared in view.

However, the twosome halted, as the cries and lights kept going across the streets.

Something was coming down from the forest, something carrying huge torches, as a dazzling light effect seemed to appear in the clouds above. It had the aspect of a shield over a sword that crossed it from an end to another.

Cera and Ruben kept looking up with an intrigued look.

- What's that? – Ruben asked, stunned.

Cera was about to speak, but one of the houses' doors opened, and many villagers came out.

While many of them ran in the direction opposite to the gates, one of them approached the pair, grabbing Ruben's tunic and Cera's tail as it dragged them towards the mass escape.

- What are you doing?! Let me go! – Ruben roared, trying to make the villager let loose.

The villager turned around, and Ruben almost jumped in terror as he saw the man's terrified face, a face showing fright at a level never seen before.

- You shouldn't stay here! The town is cursed! – The man said, continuing to drag them.

- Let me go! – Cera ordered, trying to push the villager.

This made Ruben let go of the bag containing jewels, letting them scatter on the ground, along with Ruben. The villager gasped in fear as he saw the jewels fall, turning his look at the boy.

- You… you're one of them! – The villager shouted, running away as well.

Ruben couldn't get up, so he used this chance to put the jewels inside the fur bag once more.

- What was that all about? – Cera asked, puzzled.

The town now seemed empty, and the wind made the doors, left open, bang on the walls.

- What do you think he meant by cursed? – Ruben also asked, closing the bag and getting up.

- You don't suppose… - A trumpet echoed through the town's empty streets, as an arrow flew over Ruben's head, piercing into a distant tree, setting it aflame.

After this close shave, the pair turns around, only to start running away from an army of knights clad in golden, silver and blood-red armors who were destroying the gate by using their formidably big axes, although others used swords and shields, while others still shot flaming arrows towards whatever they could find.

While the two ran across the streets very quickly, and reached half the length of the town, they could see that the red aura from the armors reflection was starting to rise in the horizon, behind the stone pattern street ground. The second gate was already visible from behind a house; and, on the other side, over the fields, more knights approached, these only carrying the axes, which shone due to the flame's light.

Indeed, the flame's light, since the town's roofs were now burning under an intense rain of arrows. The knights from the first gate were able to go in, leaving both Cera and Ruben surrounded.

- What a lovely surprise… they left us a gift… - A voice snickered from behind the pair.

Ruben jumped in surprise and turned, along with Cera, to see a knight clad in a black armor, carrying a long, red cape with the same symbol both had seen reflecting in the sky. The knight had its head protected by a helmet with the appearance of a stone face, with no further decorations. It wielded a golden blade, along with a polished shield that reflected the flare.

Cera started to retreat. The knight kept immobile.

- We cannot refuse a gift, can we? – The man continued, using the sword's blade to rise Ruben's head.

Cera was about to run away, but she collided with a wall of knights who readily grabbed her, tying her up.

- Put them in the wagon… and destroy this city! – The knight roared, as more knights grabbed Ruben and, after tying him, brought the two into a wooden wagon outside the town walls.

Meanwhile, under intense heat, the caped knight slashed away Farour houses' doors, braking the windows and, along with other knights, destroying the own walls, until everything should be rubble.

The knights threw Ruben and Cera into the wagon, a small, wooden wagon with a white blanket, carried by two horses.

The captors sat on the transportation and rode away, disappearing into the night.

A figure in a brown cloak appeared from behind an alley in a very busy, rich-looking street. Strangely, the figure had a tail, a slightly pink tail with a few darker spots.

It walked through the population, seemingly unnoticed.

As it approached a stand selling fruit, apparently unwatched, an also slightly pink hand, with lighter tips, stretched out and grabbed an apple, retreating back into the cloak.

It went across the streets once more, again unnoticed.

- Spike! Thank gods I found you! – Patricia's voice echoed through the dining room.

The spiketail woke up with a surprised jump to the ground, quickly searching what had awakened him.

He sighed as he saw Patricia approaching him from the table's left side at a fast pace.

- Quickly, we have to go! – Patricia warned between gasps.

Spike gazed at the confused girl with an even more confused look, as his eyes were widely open.

- Just follow me! – Patricia finally said, running towards the halls once more.

Spike groaned and ran after her as well.

Littlefoot's eyes opened slowly as light started to spout out through a window covered with a tile of glass.

He was over his bed, on his and David's house in Neast. David was sleeping on the bed right by his.

For instants, Littlefoot considered all this normal. What happened last night was probably just a sleepstory, or a dream like David used to call it.

He was about to lower his head to get back to sleep once more when he spotted something had never seen on David's back: a black blade, with a grayish handle.

He opened his eyes widely as he quickly realized that what had happened last night had been everything but a dream. His heart started to beat quickly as he ran down the stairs and through the house's door.

- No… - He mumbled. His heart could have reached the ground, in that moment.

The village that once stood in front of their house, just down the hill; the thriving village where Malix liked to take him every morning… it had been burned to ashes. At some houses' exception, everything was now a pile of gray debris that were slowly scattered by the wind. The statue didn't have its head and an arm, and most of it was obscured by the flames.

And Malix! He… where was he?

These reflections crossed Littlefoot's mind at a rather slow rhythm, which grieved him even more.

- No… this isn't happening… I'm… I'm still asleep! I'm… - He mumbled away, stepping back. – I can't be…

- Littlefoot! – An elderly voice called from one of the few houses standing.

The young longneck woke from his trance for a few moments, looking down towards the remains of the houses.

It was the Longneck Elder, accompanied by Skaita, who walked by him. Surprisingly, none of them seemed injured. Littlefoot immediately ran to meet them.

- What happened last night?! Why… why are the houses like this…? Where is everyone?! And… where's Malix?

- Whoa! Slow down, young one! So many questions for a young mind! – The Elder replied.

- Calm down, Littlefoot. The population was evacuated by boats to the Trago Province to the north, due to last night's attack. They departed first thing in the morning. – Skaita soothed. – However… - He assumed a gloomy face. – I'm not sure if you would like to hear of Malix…

Littlefoot wasn't sure either. His heart raced as never.

- Tell me…

- Malix…

- Malix was injured by an arrow in the right side of the chest. Luckily, it didn't hit his heart. An arrow that size isn't hard to miss. – Skaita quickly interrupted.

The Elder glared at him.

- Will he be alright? – The young longneck asked.

- We are…

- Of course, Littlefoot. Calm down. Our only damages from last night were the houses' annihilation. – The Elder intercepted the answer.

Skaita now glared at him.

- Even. – Skaita mumbled.

Littlefoot sighed in relief.

- That's good… David will like to hear that. I'll go tell him! – The young longneck quickly offered, running into the house again.

The two outside saw Littlefoot go inside before the two started arguing.

- What was that for?! Aren't you going to tell him the truth?! – Skaita shouted.

- Surely not! It would… make his esteem go down… and… I suspect he is the new sage. – The Elder replied.

- Sage? Sage for what? And who?

- You'll see… very soon… - The Elder replied, raising his head towards the house. As the door opened, he turned to Skaita very slowly – Ssh, he's coming out again. Don't speak of it. – He ordered.

Both fell into silence when David and Littlefoot came back out, approaching the two.

- Is it true? Did Malix survive last night?! – The young man excitedly asked.

- Yes, young David. Do not worry. – The Elder replied with a smile.

David sighed in relief.

- I… want to see him. Is that possible? – He asked timidly.

- No. It isn't, right now. – Skaita quickly answered.

David was about to reply, but the Elder interrupted.

- And… I have something to propose you two… Littlefoot, come with me. I will tell you. I'm sure you'll know how to explain it to young David far better than me. – The Elder instructed, walking away to the other side of the hill.

Littlefoot and David's look crossed as the young longneck followed the Elder, leaving the young man with Skaita.

- You've got some skills, partner. – Skaita said, unsheathing David's sword.

David was about to question what Skaita meant, but quickly understood when the blade was shown.

- Ever fought before? – The bowman asked, giving the sword to David again. The latest simply nodded in negation. – That's impressive. So is that blade. Roven made it himself for his use, but if he gave it to you, it must have been because you are worth it. – Skaita explained, pointing at the blade on David's hands.

- I know, but… I wish I received it under other circumstances. – David replied, sheathing it.

Patricia quickly opened the finely crafted wooden doors, entering the throne room, behind the throne.

As she and Spike were about to run to the door on the opposite wall, a few voices were heard nearby, in front of the chair. She immediately stopped, making Spike bump against her.

- Sir, what should we do? – A familiar voice to Patricia asked.

- I have no idea, John. Gather your knights and run… It's the best option left…

Patricia stretched out to confirm if it was indeed John, the captain of the knights, standing in front of Flavius.

Indeed, John was there, clad in his shinning, gray armor with his helmet under his arm.

"What does he mean, run…?" Patricia thought.

- Very well, sir. So shall I do… With your permission…

Flavius nodded and John back away, disappearing into the halls.

- Quickly, Spike. – Patricia instructed, running towards the other door with Spike.

- Littlefoot, I need escort to Luminia Castle. – The Elder said as soon as the two reached the other side of the hill.

He couldn't have been more direct: he was asking him and David to escort him to Luminia Castle.

- Are… are you sure? U-us? – Littlefoot hesitated.

The Elder nodded in agreement, leaving the young longneck wordless.

- After your display last night… I'm sure you are capable of escorting me safely to the capital. – The Elder added.

- I'm not sure if…

- Littlefoot. – The Elder said in a deep voice. The young longneck immediately turned its look to the older longneck. – You ARE able to do it. You will gain trust in your skills as you practice, it is certain, and this journey will give you the strength you need to overcome that lack of confidence which you are pretending to have.

- I…

- It is decided, then! – The Elder shouted, walking towards David and Skaita again. Littlefoot followed without questioning.

- What is it, then? – David asked.

- Littlefoot will tell you. Go inside and get your equipment ready. I have something to say to Skaita. – The Elder instructed.

- Sure. Come on, Littlefoot. – David said, walking inside the hut.

Littlefoot followed the young swordsman very slowly.

- How did he react? – Skaita asked as soon as the two were inside.

The Elder sighed at the question.

- They will be able to do it. I'm sure of it. – The longneck turned his look to Skaita. – Do you have the letter?

The bowman took out a small paper with a few signatures inside.

- Good. Put it into David's scabbard and give it to him. – The Elder instructed.

Skaita took off his back an empty scabbard, quite well crafted with gold and iron. He put the small paper inside and put the scabbard on his back again.

- He asked US to escort him? – David asked in amazement. He and Littlefoot were in their room. – But… that's incredible!

- No, it isn't, David! I don't know what went into us last night to fight like that! I never fought before, and you never sword played either! – Littlefoot replied.

- Then we learn. – David simply answered, taking the shield off the wall. – I never actually thought I'd use this shield… It's all so… new…

- See?!

- Littlefoot, don't worry. Nothing will go wrong. – David replied.

The longneck approached David.

- Are you sure…?

The young swordsman hesitated.

- …yes. Nothing will go wrong. – He repeated.

The twosome's looks crossed each other for a small while.

- Then let's go to Luminia Castle. – Littlefoot declared, running downstairs, followed by David.

They were quickly outside, panting with amused grins as they looked at each other.

- David, I have something to give you. – Skaita informed, putting the scabbard's belt over the belt straps on David's back. The scabbard fell down, and David sheathed the sword. – It fits you. Ah, and you seem to have a shield. What a perfect timing.

The young swordsman put the shield on the scabbard as well, leaving as hands free for once.

- If you are ready, then we depart immediately to Luminia Castle. – The Elder said, walking towards the forest.

Littlefoot followed the longneck, but David kept behind. Skaita was near the house, staring at the three.

- Wait, isn't Skaita coming? – The young swordsman asked.

- Do not worry, young David. Skaita will stay and take care of Malix with Roven. Come, now. – The Elder answered, continuing his way.

Before going, David raised his hand at Skaita, bidding farewell, joining the two longnecks as they penetrated into the forest.

Skaita, even though David wouldn't be able to see, raised his hand as well, standing for a while before departing down the hill once more.

"Goodbye… Neast…" David and Littlefoot thought, crossing the first natural gate from the Licove Forest.

From then on, they would have to cross a few gates in order to really enter the Licove Forest, gates actually made of bent trees with much foliage around them, clad with flower buttons.

While the Elder first lead the three, David quickly assumed that position, with Littlefoot by the older longneck's side.

…

- Wake up…

…

- Open your eyes… - The voice once again ordered. That cold voice she had heard in the forest. – Gaze upon the darkness…

Cera wildly tried to close her eyes, but nothing seemed to work. Ultimately, she opened her eyes to see a grayish threehorn, an elderly threehorn that was staring directly at her with kind eyes.

- Do you see…? – The voice asked. It wasn't the threehorn speaking though; no, the latest seemed like a spirit, due to its almost misty look.

- Who are you…? – Cera asked to the threehorn.

- He, Cera… Is your father. – The voice answered with a cold tone.

- My… father…? – Cera repeated. Suddenly, unknown memories came to her mind… these memories had in them a longneck, a swimmer… a spiketail, even! There were many… in a magnificent landscape… a valley! Yes, a valley! But… how? – Who are you?! – Cera asked again, now towards the voice.

The voice's only answer was a maniacal laugh that echoed throughout the darkness as the threehorn fell in an endless pit.

Cera opened her eyes and raised her head, suddenly falling against a wooden floor.

It was night, and Ruben was beside her. The sounds of wheels over rocks resonate through the small cabin in which both she and the human were tied with tight ropes.

Unable to struggle, she fell asleep, a tear falling down her eye.

Aryline motioned in multiple directions with her arms. She was on top of a cliff over golden clouds, under a perfect blue sky, the sun seemingly setting.

As she moved once more, the clouds became dark, and the sky became a background similar to the night. Two yellow eyes appeared in the landscape, inside a dark mist.

- You spoke… You have gone too far…

- Aryline, Aryline… Has the counsel been treating you like garbage? – The figure answered.

- Do not change the subject, Ruler. – Aryline replied in a fierce tone.

- What will you do? Attack me? Don't forget were just seeing each other, nothing else.

Aryline groaned.

- Unfortunately, I haven't found time to visit you and your dark galaxy…

- What a shame… do not waste your time with me… waste it… with your beloved staff. – The two eyes disappeared, and the landscape returned to a glowing one again.

Aryline curled her fists and a white light emanated.

- You'll get what you deserve, Ruler… - She mumbled, descending the cliff.

Well, the second part, ended! Tell me what you thought!


	19. The Sharptooth Horde

Chapter 19 – The Sharpteeth horde

The five protectors sat around the table, keeping their cloaks over their heads. Aryline also sat down, taking the coat off to reveal her blond hair once more.

- We have problems, Protectors…

- How could you allow Ruler to do such a thing? – Flago immediately interrupted.

Aryline was expecting it.

- For now, what Ruler did isn't the worst possible; while only Cera knows of her true father, as long as Ruler doesn't forward any other information, there is no danger that the Reef Continent is brought back to their minds.

Trago grunted at Aryline's answer.

- And what kind of seal did you put over their minds? – He asked in a disbelief tone.

- A temporary, simple shield that only the fiercest wizards can break.

- Fiercest… like Andrea and Germana? – Flago snickered.

- What is your opinion over this, Aldium? – Trago inquired.

Aldium simply sighed.

- It is obvious that Andrea and Germana can and have most probably broken the seal… Certainly, Aryline has thought of it.

- Yes, I have, Aldium. I separated Germana and Andrea from their groups. Andrea was sent to the lands Beyond Colio and Germana… - Aryline lowered her head, leaving the sentence broken. It was noticeable that Trago and Flago were grinning. – I have lost Germana's location.

The two brothers punched the table.

- Do you now see what we meant?! If Germana is on the loose, than she will revive their memories! – Flago shouted.

- She will join III, and together, they will be unstoppable.

- I'm afraid… - Grast interrupted. He had kept quiet, and silence invaded the room when he spoke, leaving the five looking at him with abstract looks. – That III and Germana have already united and stroke.

Aryline gasped, but she got back to her position before any could notice.

- What do you have to say to this, Aryline?! – Flago shouted.

- We must act. I want all of you in your positions so you may tell the ten who they really are. – As Aryline said this, Trago and Flago shook each others hands with complementing words. – Do not tell them everything. – Aryline then added, and the two brothers sat again.

- Wise queen, what should we tell them, then? – Aldium asked, getting up.

- The P.B.P. staff must know of their abilities, their powers… the ones from the Great Valley must know of their true family once they have met them… and only after they have can you reveal their origins… however… do not speak of the Reef Continent or the Great Valley.

Flago was about to snap after the ruler's instructions.

- We should ask the fast-runners aid. – Trago replied.

The room silenced at the protector's reply.

- The fast-runners don't exist. – Aldium quietly answered.

- They're just myth.

- Who are the fast-runners? – Aryline asked, confused. She could know of almost everything in the Reef Continent, but the Luminia Kingdom was for now an almost complete mystery.

- The fast-runners are beings said to have lived in the Aldium Province. – Flago responded. He was about to explode in joy with the fact that he had answered the ruler's doubt, but not for the best reasons.

- They were eccentrically good architects, and were also very wise. They even built the capital of the entire kingdom with their skills and cooperation with humans! – Grast added.

Aryline was even more confused.

- What does that have to do with our problem? Even if they did exist, it's not like I can bring them back, right?

- Wrong. Fast-runners also dominated Emperor Magic. – Grast quickly added.

- Emperor Magic… But what do you mean, Trago? – Aryline kept asking.

Aldium sighed at the question.

- Never mind him, Aryline. Please, can we concentrate on the meeting's goal? – He demanded in an annoyed tone.

- Surely, Aldium. However, I have nothing else to forward you all. – Aryline answered. She scrolled the five with her look before completing the reunion. – Do not disappoint me.

The two hands by her held her high before the three disappeared.

The Five Protectors gathered in a circle and disappeared after a short process.

A gentle breeze flowed through the Licovian Trees, slightly taller and harder than the trees found commonly in Luminia. They weren't chopped down because of their hardness, in fact, and only their leafs, very decorative due to their bright color, were useful to the inhabitants. Or… they were… since Neast was now… gone…

Therefore, the Longneck Elder requested David and Littlefoot to escort him to the Luminia Castle. A dangerous journey, that both accepted.

Now, the three ventured into the Licove Forest, ready to reach the castle, safe.

Having been past the first natural gate of the forest, they couldn't rest: with Neast's ruins farther, danger could be near.

So, David opted to take the lead while Littlefoot kept his watch in the Elder.

"This is so calm…" David thought, crossing the second gate.

- David, walk a little slower. – The elder advised.

- Why do you say that, Elder? – The young swordsman asked, turning.

- I hear something approaching… in the bushes… - The longneck replied, lowering his voice.

Littlefoot froze as a shadow appeared behind a tree. He locked his look on it while it stood there.

When the longneck blinked, the shadow disappeared.

- There's something there. – Littlefoot informed, moving towards the tree.

David raised his hand to grab the sword's handle as he saw Littlefoot pass by him.

- Be careful.

The young longneck nodded and gulped as the tree drew closer.

He stepped the first few leafs of the bush surrounding the base.

As he kept walking, something seemed wrong, as he had stepped at least five branches, and yet nothing had moved behind the tree.

Inside, the longneck sighed in relief; outside, the nerves were taking over him.

Littlefoot stopped when by the tree. Nothing should go wrong now.

"Come on, Littlefoot. You've just got to look at what's behind the tree. Behind the tree." The longneck kept thinking.

With one last deep breathe, Littlefoot jumped to behind the tree, startling David who, unsheathing the sword, ran towards the vegetation.

- What…? – Both said, as nothing stood behind the tree.

- Next time, be sure to actually see some-… - David started, only to be interrupted by a cry of help behind them, where the elder was.

"Please, not this soon…" Littlefoot thought, running out of the vegetation.

- We're coming! – David's voice was heard, followed by a grunt and a heavy fall sound, as a few leafs flew through the air. – Get there, Littlefoot! I'll be right back!

The longneck didn't quite understand what had happened, but still kept running through the bushes, avoiding to get hit by any unexpected branch.

When the last barrier of leafs was passed, Littlefoot stepped back as something – a large being – nearly fell over him. A loud roar was heard, and Littlefoot immediately identified the being that had fallen:

- Sharpteeth! - The longneck cried out as another of these predators fell in front of him.

Littlefoot ran around the fallen sharptooth, reaching the core of the battle, where the Elder, even thought elderly, capably avoided the bite attempts, as well as the slams the sharpteeth were throwing, and actually had enough time to strongly hit the five that kept up with his tail.

The young longneck, however, felt nearly useless by the fight. While the Elder had his size and strong, Littlefoot didn't even have something "throwable".

- What's going on?! What are they?! – David erupted in questions as he stopped by the longneck.

- Sharpteeth.

- How do you know that?

The two stared at each other with puzzled looks.

- I don't know… I just… knew.

- Watch out! – David warned, throwing himself at Littlefoot. Both were shoved into nearby bushes as another sharptooth fell from a strong tail whip.

The two immediately got up, approaching the core again. There were four Sharpteeth left, standing up.

An idea popped in David's mind.

- Give me a ride to near the sharpteeth! – He instructed, jumping onto Littlefoot's back, standing up with the sword readied.

The longneck didn't reply and charged towards the closest sharptooth.

- I'll need you to slam into the sharptooth when I'm done! – David added.

- Done doing what?!

- You'll see!

Just then, David jumped and grabbed the sharptooth's tail, attempting to climb it.

Littlefoot kept running, trying to avoid being stepped.

The sharptooth, however, feeling the young swordsman, started to spin around itself, trying to grab the intruder.

David was finally able to climb and stand up on the tail; now, he was running over the predator's back, trying to maintain balance at the same time.

It felt odd to him, like he had already done it before.

Littlefoot, seeing the sharptooth "chasing" David, rammed into the predator's foot.

This called its attention to the longneck, which ran under the sharptooth.

The Elder rammed against one other Sharptooth, shoving it against a tree.

As the tree fell, a loud noise was heard echoing through the woods, followed by the predator's roar.

David sheathed the sword and grabbed the sharptooth's neck as it shook violently while running after the longneck.

- Littlefoot, stop! – The young swordsman shouted.

The longneck, however, kept running, but cornered into the bushes, which made the predator stop and search for Littlefoot in the foliage.

David didn't waste the opportunity and unsheathed the sword, stabbing the sharptooth on the left side of the throat, causing some blood to shed on the dark blade. This forced the sharptooth to enrage, but also flee.

David then pulled the sword and jumped down as the predator escaped, deep into the Licove Forest.

Littlefoot took some time to jump out of the bushes, walking to the tired swordsman's side.

- Did you kill it? – The longneck asked, slightly shocked by the run.

- No, I just… - David sighed, sheathing the sword. – Just gave him a lesson never to forget. – He completed, grinning.

- The Elder! – Littlefoot cried out, out of the subject. The longneck ran back to the arena, followed by David.

- We need a plan to get out of here. – Patricia said, closing the room's wooden door very quietly.

- But how? There are guards everywhere! – Ducky reminded.

- In that case… - Patricia added, walking to the open wardrobe. Ducky and Spike exchanged confused looks as Patricia returned with two brown cloaks. She threw one at Spike and put on the other one, placing Ducky inside the hood. – We'll have to use this to get out of town. Something's coming, and we'd better not be here.

Seeing Spike with trouble in putting the cloak, Patricia simply covered his back and put the hood so the spiketail was still able to see.

- We'll be fine until we reach the castle's doors, but I don't think anybody will let us out without Flavius's permission. – Patricia added, opening the room's door again and exiting the place, followed by Spike.

- And what will we do, then? – Ducky asked, appearing from inside the hood.

- We'll have to see once we get there.

The three – although only Spike and Patricia were visible – were now in the throne room. Apparently, Flavius was sleeping, which gave them a gold opportunity to quickly exit the throne room unnoticed.

The group quickly went down the stairs on the opposite wall, ending in a hall leading to the dinning room.

- The dinning room is probably empty, there's a banquet tonight…

- What if the banquet is now? – Ducky asked again.

- On whose side are you, anyway?

- *insert groans of attention*

- What is it, Spike? – Ducky asked, seeing the spiketail near the dinning room's entrance, peeking at it by the corner.

Spike groaned again, this time moving his head towards the section.

- Don't tell me its food, Spike, we can't think of it now! – Patricia muttered.

Spike, however, kept groaning, shaking his head towards the dinning room.

- Its something else, Patricia! Let's go see! – Ducky piped up, jumping out of the hood.

Spike nodded in agreement as Ducky climbed onto his back and looked at the room as well.

- Oh, the dinning room… it's…

- What, what is it? – Patricia inquired, walking to near the two.

Ducky turned her head to the princess.

- …It's full of people. – She finished.

- What?! – Patricia shouted, stretching her head by the corner.

In fact, all the torches were lit, and all the seats were occupied by lords, princes, princesses and counts.

- It seems the banquet started earlier than it should have. – Ducky explained.

- I know… Well, it shouldn't be that hard to go unnoticed by this, right? – Patricia said, sitting against the wall.

Spike groaned again and Ducky looked inside the room again, quickly jumping into Patricia's hood.

- What is it, now?!

- There's a butler coming!

- Oh my-! – Patricia exclaimed, arranging the cloak and getting up. She pushed Spike back and stepped back herself, starting to walk slowly towards the door on the opposite side of the corridor very slowly. Spike followed her.

When she was about to pass in front of the dinning room, the butler came out, carrying an empty plate. He immediately noticed Patricia and Ducky, but only put the plate under his arm and bent.

- Please, no need for that. That's for Flavius.

- Surely, my princess. – The butler said, standing up again. – If I may ask, where is my princess going?

- Well, I'm taking myself and Spike here to town to… er… show him the town. Right, Spike? – Patricia improvised. Spike, who had been listening very closely, with his eyes opened widely, nodded in agreement at the call of his name.

The butler frowned.

- Be careful, my princess. Do not hesitate in seeking help if anything happens. Now, if you will excuse me… - The butler finished, walking away.

The three had walked across the hall while talking, which guaranteed Patricia and Spike their free passage.

When the butler was gone, the three sighed in relief.

- That was close. I think he's going to tell Flavius about us. We should get going. – Ducky decided, getting inside the hood once more.

- Right, let's go. – Patricia finished, exiting the hall.

As Littlefoot arrived the arena, he sighed in relief, and so did David.

The Elder was still standing up, a deep bite on his front right leg. He was walking towards the twosome with some difficulty.

- Elder, are you alright? – Littlefoot asked, arriving by the Elder's side.

- Yes, I'm fine, Littlefoot, do not worry. – The Elder gasped. But Littlefoot knew not everything was fine.

The young longneck couldn't help much either, though, since the Elder was much bigger than him.

- What should we do, David? – He asked.

The young swordsman looked the longneck up and down.

- We've got to find some place for him to rest… but he can't stay like that until we reach Luminia Castle…

- I know of a… urgh… clearing… - The Elder said with cost. The leg nearly failed him.

- Which way, Elder? – Littlefoot asked impatiently.

- Towards the river…

- I know the way, let's go. – David added, starting to walk again, followed by the two longnecks.

- What do you think they carry…? - A dark colored flyer silently asked from the top of a tree. He had an adult appearance, but wicked eyes.

He was accompanied by another flyer this one slightly pink, with protruding eyes.

The two stared at a boat that crossed the Gota Sea by the coast, a simple boat full of people. It seemed to be heading towards the Trago Province.

- Psst, Sierra, guards… - The other flyer whispered, flying into a deeper branch.

The first flyer, Sierra, looked up.

As a matter a fact, two flyers, clutching iron and gold spears in their paws, flew over the tree.

By the time they did, Sierra had already flied inside the tree as well.

When the two supposed guards passed, the two other flyers came out of the tree.

As Sierra stared at the sea again, the boat had already disappeared.

- They shipwrecked off the coast of Trago! – The flyer cursed.

- So? – The other flyer asked,

- So now we can't get their stuff! – Sierra shouted back.

- Now what?

- Now we search for more Statues we can sell to III. – Sierra answered, flying away.

The other flyer muttered something before taking flight as well.

Patricia and Spike ran through the corridors under a strange gray light that emanated from the stained glass windows high above them. Voices echoed through the halls like church choirs.

The two reached another door and opened it, appearing outside, in the castle's balcony on the fourth floor.

A lush green garden spread at the castle's feet, reaching the fortifications that surrounded the palace. Four towers surrounded it.

Luminia Town was visible around the fortifications, its luxury houses rising nearly above the walls.

The balcony on which the pair stood surrounded the castle, and under it was a shinning, blue tile roof with very steep inclination.

There was no wind, and the temperature seemed to have dropped.

Patricia stopped for a few moments and looked around.

The only way to reach the first floor was by crossing the balcony and enter the castle again.

- We'd better get go-…

- **There she is! Catch her!** – Harsh voices shouted from somewhere. They seemed very close to Patricia and Spike.

Patricia switched looks from the right way of the balcony to the left.

Suddenly, five knights garbed in black armors appeared from the corners, running towards the pair. Spike gasped as he saw the five head towards them.

Patricia had little time to act. She ran to the balcony's edge and looked down. It would be quite the fall if they jumped.

The knights were approaching them.

- Spike, jump! – Patricia ordered, taking out of her bag the Power Device.

In a quick move, Spike ran and jumped over the balcony edges, falling on the ceiling. However, he started to slide down, pulling out a few tiles as well.

- Spike! – Ducky shouted, appearing out of the hood.

- Ducky, get inside! – The teenager shouted, forcing Ducky into the hood again.

Patricia jumped as well and ran down the ceiling, grabbing Spike and whispering a few words while joining the index and middle fingers and pointing them to the ground.

As the two reached the end of the ceiling, the Power Device shone, and they were enveloped in a faint golden sphere before disappearing completely in midair after a sudden flash.

- Hey punks, snap out. End of the road for'ya! – Someone shouted on Ruben's ear, forcing him to jump in surprise.

- …What? – Ruben mumbled as he opened his eyes.

The wagon were he was trapped had its door open. His hands were tied, and a scarf was being put around his mouth. Cera was already missing.

At the wagon's entrance stood two of the knights that had abducted him and the threehorn. It was day again, and the sun flashed him in the eyes.

- What did you do to Cera?! – Ruben shouted, struggling to set free.

The knight by him pointed a knife at his throat.

- If you don't stay quiet… - He approached the blade to Ruben's skin. – It'll happen the same to you… The threehorn learned how to behave the most difficult way… don't try that one…

Ruben tried to digest what the knight coldly said.

- What do you mean? What did you do to her?! Why are you doing this to us-… humph! – Ruben's mouth was covered by the scarf, leaving him to groan instead of words.

- Aye, let'em. He's learned how ta shut'up! – One of the knights outside muttered. He went inside the wagon and grabbed Ruben's chin with his cold, metal glove. – Haven'tcha?

Ruben couldn't see the man's eyes, but he glared at the knight's helmet.

- Ya ain't scarin' me. – The knight added in a colder voice. He threw Ruben against the wooden wall and went out of the wagon. – Take'em away.

The knight inside the wagon picked up Ruben with ease and brought him outside, despite Ruben's efforts to let loose.

- Where do we put him? – The knight asked to the seeming leader.

The latest turned around and seemed to grunt.

- Put'em with the priests so he can talk. – The knight answered, continuing to walk towards a cliff.

They seemed to be near a cliff in fact, a very deep cliff in front of which rose thick mist. A town was near, by a river and a long, stone bridge that entered the mist and crossed over the gorge.

As the knight carried Ruben by his tunic, the young boy could see various temple towers rise in the middle of the town, and rows of villagers garbed in brown tunics that entered these buildings.

- You'll learn some discipline the hard way, kid.

Quickly, the two had reached one of these temples, with silver walls and a few stain glassed windows. The doors were crafted to seem like a map, and inside, sat along the rows of benches, were the villagers Ruben had seen wearing the brown tunics.

The knight threw Ruben inside and grabbed the doors.

- Enjoy your stay, punk. And nobody dares to untie him! I shall torture that person to death, personally! – The knight warned, closing the doors with utter strength.

As Ruben raised his head, he saw that none of the priests reacted. They kept sitting, singing like a choir to an altar where a statue stood. The statue was crafted to seem like a woman with long hairs, garbed in a cloak that covered her completely, with a hood behind her.

Therefore, the young boy kept lying there, on the cold, stone floor, trying to rest.

- Did'ya throw'er? – The knight leader asked as one of the knights approached.

- Yes, sir.

- Did'ya guarantee she landed over rock? Solid rock?

- Yes, sir. – The knight answered yet again.

- Good work, indeed. – The leader snickered. – That'll teach'er that she ain't messin' with us…

- Indeed, sir.

- Have'ya ever considered goin' for a swim in Lake Bafro? – The leader asked, pointing down.

- No, sir. – The knight answered, approaching the leader.

- Then it's about time'ya tried! – The leader shouted, shoving the knight into the mist, followed by a cry of pain. – Tsc… "Yes sir", "No sir"… - He muttered. – Pathetic…

The leader turned and headed towards the wagon again, waiting for the last knight to come.

Review please!


	20. The throne

Chapter 20 – The throne

- Transvectio Veneficus Luminia Terrenus. – Patricia's voice was heard like a whisper in the wind, as she suddenly appeared by a tree on top of a hill, grabbing Spike.

They fell on the grass at the tree's feet, still stunned by the warp.

In the distance rose the Luminia Town and Luminia Castle, under a gray sky.

Ducky jumped out of the hood and fell on the grass in gasps.

- What did you do, Patricia?

- I warped us… Transvectio Veneficus. – She answered, showing the Power Device, putting it inside the bag again. – We're in the Aldium Plains… - She added, looking around.

Spike didn't take long before turning away and finding a nice spot where tall, green grass grew. Therefore, the meal was served.

Ducky hopped onto him and looked around as well.

However, the only sign of anything in the distance was a wide forest within a mountain range, a forest that opened across the plains.

The prairies seemed to never change, despite that small spot in the horizon with trees.

Patricia, however, knew that there was a town nearby.

- Ducky, to south. – She instructed, adjusting the cloak and walking down the small hill

- I'm coming, Patricia! – Ducky shouted back, turning to the spiketail. – Come on, Spike we've got to go! We do, we do!

Spike swallowed another bite of grass and turned around, reluctant, following Patricia.

He ran until he was next to the young girl, and the three continued their way through the grass.

Just as they reached the bottom of hill, they entered a field of tall grass, apparently heading towards the mountain wall to south, into which flew the river.

The wind made the tall grass seem like a tide, since it now blew strongly from the west, forcing Ducky to grab even harder Spike's cloak.

A wooden door creaked as it quickly opened, giving light to a dark house. The new enlightening made the outside seem nothing but a white, bright space, from which a cloaked figure came in.

After it was completely inside, it closed the door and stopped.

- _Illustratio Imperativus_… - The figure mumbled, and the complete section became lighted. The figure approached a table and grabbed the cloak's hood, taking the complete veil off and placing it over a nearby chair.

The figure was in fact a pink colored fast-runner female, looking anxiously around in search of something.

- Chomper… I'm here again… - The fast-runner called, wandering around the small section.

- Ruby? – A voice whispered from under the table.

Ruby was surprised by the voice's location. She bent down and smiled as she saw a young sharptooth hiding under the desk.

- What are you doing under the table? – She asked.

- Well, you said that there were some kidnappers and… - Chomper tried to explain, going out.

- And there are, but they aren't here, so you can come out. – Ruby added, helping Chomper to get up. – You're safe with me.

- What did you bring, Ruby? – Chomper asked, sitting on the bench.

Ruby reached the cloak and took out an apple.

- It's all I could get. Sorry. – Ruby apologized, placing the apple on the board.

- It's alright. – The sharptooth answered, biting the apple. After a few bites, he placed the apple, half eaten, and sadly looked at Ruby. – Why are we hiding here, Ruby?

The fast-runner suddenly stopped, since she was about to place the cloak on the table.

She hesitated, but decided to answer:

- Hum, let's not talk about it right now. – She answered, grinning.

- Are you awake, young boy? – A priest asked, approaching Ruben.

- I am now… - Ruben muttered, sighing.

- Are they away? – The priest asked to one other over a ladder. He was gazing through a window high above.

- Yes, Master. They've gone away. – The priest answered, climbing down.

- You're safe, now. – The priest next to Ruben, apparently, the Master, soothed.

Ruben frowned at the way the priest treated the "Master".

- Where are we? – The young boy asked, getting up with the Master's help.

- You are in Pastri, my boy. North of the Prach Province. – One of the priests answered.

There seemed to be a total of ten standing up, five looking oddly different from the rest. The rest of priests were still sitting between chants.

- Who… who are you? – Ruben asked again, looking strangely at the priests.

- We are a league of guardians of the Great Bridge.

- Some call us the Holders of the Gate.

- But we call ourselves… The New Order. – The Master added, and the four other "human" priests joined him.

- The New Order…? – Ruben repeated, and the five nodded. – But what is so special about this "bridge"? Is it the one that I saw over the gorge?

- Yes. That is the Great Bridge. – One of the priests answered. The other five had yet to pronounce themselves.

- The Great Bridge unites the Prach province to the Trago Province, by crossing above the lake's waters.

- Down there… there's water?! – Ruben gasped. – But Cera was… But… - Ruben fell to his knees.

- By uniting both provinces, we unite the Luminia Kingdom to Catalia. We are missionaries of Flavius, yet we work independently. – Another priest added, seemingly not noticing Ruben.

- But we hold a greater secret… One that refers to the lake. – The Master added.

Ruben raised his head.

- What is that "secret"? – He asked, curious.

The Master approached Ruben's ear.

- Do you really wish to know…? – He whispered.

Ruben nodded in agreement.

The Master slowly turned away to the other priests. The latest assented.

- Then you shall follow me… - The Master said, walking through the church.

Ruben followed him, followed by the four other human priests towards the altar.

Ruben noticed the existence of a big tile of stained glass with confusing patterns, mixing all of the colors that could exist in a single palette.

The five other stood still, apparently conversing.

Only a loose sentence was heard:

- What happened to my mother…?

- Kyro, get back here. – A low voice said from inside a cave.

- Wait, what's that? – A younger voice answered, also echoing from within.

- That's something you're not supposed to go see! Get back inside!

- Wait, let me go see! – The younger voice replied.

Suddenly, the voices stopped.

From afar, nothing seemed to have moved from inside a cave near the mountain wall.

From nearby, no relevant changes seemed to happen. Besides seeing a small stone moving, probably due to the elevation.

However, looking much closer, the stone was actually a living being, which's back seemed to be the polished surface of a stone. The rest of their body, however, resembled one of a threehorn, due to the existence of a slightly grown horn in the front and the existence of two pre-born horns on the head. This was obviously a young citizen of these beings, and this particular one had a slightly brown color, and it was called Kyro.

The Master opened a thick book that was placed over a table at the altar. As the priest turned over the book's leafs, Ruben saw many drawings of swordsmen and other creatures from the Luminia Kingdom.

Finally, the Master stopped when he reached a pair of pages where a threehorn with a rocky looking back was depicted.

- This – The Master started, pointing at the creature. – Is what we try to protect in Lake Bafro.

Ruben looked more carefully at it. Around the depiction were written a few words in a strange language.

_- Dorsum Lapis. _– The Master read.

- What does that mean? – Ruben asked.

- Rockback. – The priest translated, turning his look to Ruben, who gazed at the book with some amaze.

- Kyro, stop! – An adult rockback called from inside the cave.

Kyro, however, kept running over the sand as he approached a massive, orange-colored body that had shored. It seemed petrified, and didn't emit any sound.

The young rockback, astonished, gazed at the body under its shade.

- Kyro, get out of here, now! – The older rockback ordered, arriving near the younger rockback. However, he joined Kyro in his amaze when he looked up, grumbling in amaze. – What is that…?!

- I don't know… - Kyro answered, speaking very slowly.

- But they're just threehorns… - Ruben commented. – With rocks on their backs…

- They are guardians as well, my boy. – The Master answered before Ruben's comment. – They are not big like threehorns, however. They are very small. We protect them, but they… they protect the way to the shrine…

After gazing at the massive body for a few seconds, Kyro noticed that it had started to move.

- Dad, run! – He shouted, running away, followed by the older rockback.

In fact, the body seemed to roll to the rockbacks' side after a loud groan.

- The Shrine? – Ruben repeated. The priests in the room started to chant even louder.

- The Shrine of the Gods. – The Master answered, opening his arms and turning his head up.

Ruben followed the motion and finally realized what the stained glass depicted:

A man grasping a golden hilt, which joined a silver blade around which seemed to fly five spheres of five distinct colors. A ruby was incrusted in the hilt, and it seemed to shine, illuminating a wide room of blue walls and five pillars. The man stood beside a pedestal, and light emanated from a cupola on the ceiling, creating a marvelous curtain effect around the swordsman.

The priests' chants now seemed to coordinate with Ruben's amaze growth, as he stepped away from the altar through the central hall while gazing at the stained glass window.

Cera slowly opened her eyes as she started to feel cold water, as if she had been thrown into ice. The only distinct object she could see was a bridge high above her, very high, between the mists.

She slowly realized that it wasn't ice at all, but a beach, a sun bathed beach at a lake's coast.

The mountain walls rose around the water body to very far, where the mountain formed an opening through which flew out the water. There was a forest near the mountain wall, which's vegetation was brimming green, as if it had never been touched.

The lake's circular shape had a small, single bridge crossing the waters from the coast to an isle right in the middle. A strange stone arch rose there, ruined by time.

The lake had a clear surface, nonetheless. The water was limpid and clean.

For moments, Cera would have thought to be in a paradise.

However, as she turned around, she spotted a red substance following from the top of one of the rocks.

Cera gasped when she raised her head a little more, releasing a loud scream as she saw a sharp rock trespassing a knight's chest, high above her.

After a loud scream, she ran into the water in her shock, but was forced to return when the sand under her paws suddenly disappeared.

She now ran against the mountain wall where the knight stood trespassed, hitting the barrier hard with her head. This caused a few loose, small rocks to fall, creating a tingling effect as they hit the knight's helmet.

- Why can't things go well for once…? – She muttered, closing her eyes.

- What is that thing?! – Kyro gasped, stepping back with his eyes widely open.

- Now we can't get back inside! – The older rockback cursed, ramming against a rock.

- I'll go speak with it! – Kyro replied, running towards the giant being.

- Kyro, stop right there! You've made us out, now don't risk your life! – The older rockback ordered, stomping.

The young one stopped.

- It looks like us, and it can talk! I'm going to talk with it! – Kyro finished, continuing his run.

- KYRO!

Flavius was sleeping on the throne, his hand holding his head as he snored loudly.

A step was heard outside the room, followed by a sudden bang from the doors, which made them explode into pieces as Flavius was lifted in the air.

When he tried to move, Karont appeared in the entrance, holding his hand up, a hand shrouded in a purple aura, which threw the king against the wall once more, this time trapping both his arms and legs, forbidding him to any move. This impact caused dust to lift, occulting the mage at the entrance.

- What do you want, Karont?! – The king shouted, trying to budge.

- _**I want your throne**_! – The mage shouted from the other side of the dust in a thick tone, separating the dust with his hands as he proceeded towards the throne and sat down. The king remained trapped on the wall above him, still trying to move.

As soon as Karont was sitting, a group of black knights entered the room, bending with their swords before the mage.

-_** Did you find them? – **_He asked in a malevolent voice.

One of the knights got up and put his sword in front of himself as he spoke.

- **Yes, sir. But unfortunately, the brats knew how to warp using magic.**

Karont groaned at the news.

- _**That should not pose a problem… I can sense them… they are heading south… - **_Karont answered in the same dark voice. It would seem like it wasn't the mage speaking at all. – _**Head there… and bring me the swimmer… and then kill the girl and the spiketail! – **_The orders left Flavius petrified. – _**However, I want an alternate squadron to search this… - **_Karont took a drawing out of his cloak and handed it to the leader of the knights.

_**- **_**Yes, sir! – **The knights responded in unison, getting up and leaving the room.

As they were all out, Flavius started forcing the magic that kept him again, but found that it wouldn't give him any results.

- What do you want with the swimmer?! Leave her alone! – The king shouted in a fierce tone.

- _**Your swimmer is the last piece of my collection… after that, the Dark Era shall start in Luminia… and I will be its ruler… until the end of time! – **_Karont answered in a loud shout, laughing maniacally after as he got up and raised his hands.

The hands were enveloped by a black aura as the sky outside began to turn black, with its clouds seeming flames in the sky due to their red tonality.

"Why would he want Ducky…?" Thought Flavius, unable to do anything about the mage.

He simply sighed, praying for the three to escape safely…

- Hello! – Kyro shouted with an innocent voice. The being didn't seem to have heard. Therefore, he approached the giant a little more, shouting again. – HELLO!

- _**What are you doing, sitting there? You're going to die if you just stay! – **_The dark voice returned in Cera's mind, seemingly more contented than last time she had heard it.

- What do you want? I'm here and I'm alone… - Cera answered, frowning.

- _**I want to protect you… but I seemingly won't if you don't cooperate…**_

_**- **_I don't need protection! So go away!

The voice laughed.

- _**Of course you don't… you're the fearsome threehorn that will survive all alone at the bottom of a pit without someone to guide it…**_

_**- **_Yeah, I am! – Cera proudly replied.

- _**Then let me tell you something, miss fearsome threehorn… you should look more to what's under your own paws!**_

Cera was surprised by that statement.

- What do you mean, "look under my paws"? – She muttered, frowning again.

- _**We'll speak again…**_

- I'm better off if we don't. – She replied, groaning.

When the voice seemed to have gone, Cera opened her eyes and looked around.

After scrolling the whole area, she turned to her left paw, raising it.

Finding nothing under it, she made a triumphal grin.

- Tsc… look under your paws… - She muttered, closing her eyes again.

- Hello! – A weak voice called.

Cera suddenly opened her eyes; there was someone there! It wasn't the voice she had in her head, it was _someone_!

The threehorn raised her head and looked around, even getting up and rotating over her to visualize the entire area.

- Where are you?! – She shouted, in hope that the _someone_ would answer.

- Here! Down here! – The weak voice answered again.

Cera couldn't believe what she heard.

- Under?! – She exclaimed, quickly turning her head down.

The threehorn opened her eyes widely as she saw a very small being, about the size of a small stone, looking at her with cute looking eyes on its threehronian face.

- Hello! I'm Kyro! – The rockback greeted.

Cera opened her eyes and muttered something in a low voice.

- _**Did you mean, "What the heck?!"? – **_The voice suddenly returned. Cera, however, didn't reply out of her amaze. – _**That's a rockback, if that's what you're about to ask in a rude way. – **_The voice added when Cera was about to talk. The rockback kept looking up, a smile stamped in his face.

- A rockback? I never heard of that…! – She exclaimed.

- Oh, you know what I am! Great! What are you, by the way? – Kyro asked, excited. – And what's your name?

- _**Say: "Threehorn" so he can understand. – **_The voice kept saying. – _**And add a "I'm Cera".**_

- I'm… hum… a threehorn… I'm… uh… Cera… - Cera answered, still surprised. A rockback? But if that thing was threehorn with rocks on the back!

- Hey, dad! She's friendly! Come here! – Kyro called.

The older rockback kept looking at the two with an incredulous expression.

- There's more…?! – Cera muttered, spotting another rockback close to Kyro.

The older rockback sighed and walked towards Cera, but stopped in his tracks as he turned to the wall and saw more and more rockbacks appearing from the cave.

As the creatures saw Cera, a unison asp was heard, calling the threehorn's attention.

She opened her eyes as much as she could when she saw this.

- How many are you, anyway?! – She exclaimed, shifting her look between the population and the two rockbacks near her.

- We exist all over the place! You just don't see us! – Kyro answered. – Do you want to come in?

- Kyro, have you gone mad?! She can't go in there! – The older rockback remembered I a harsh way.

The younger seemed disappointed, looking down.

- That's right… - He admitted.

Cera looked at the rockback and sighed.

- You could show me around here, you know… - She said, rolling her eyes.

Kyro rejoiced and looked up.

- I guess I'll show you around, then! – He answered. – I'll come back later, dad!

The older rockback simply stared as Kyro climbed to Cera's back and the two walked away on the water's edge.

When they were far, the rockback turned around and spoke to the population:

- I need everyone's attention! – He shouted from the top of a rock. – She is not a threat! She is a threehorn – The crowd dived into comments between each other – and is not dangerous. However… - The crowd turned to the rockback again. – as your leader, I advise you not to approach her until my son returns and relates me of what she really is. – When the crowd seemed to have digested the warning, the leader finished: – That is all for now. Go back inside… and do not worry… - The population started to enter the cave again, and the leader stared up. He spotted the knight over the sharp rock, still bleeding, and gasped. – We shouldn't worry… for now… - He whispered, going down the rock and back inside the cave.

Twilight was starting to swallow the kingdom…

- Petrie? Beloved nephew? – A brownish flyer called from a throne of stone, a pillar shaped like a cone without it's top, surrounded by two flyers that had spears at their feet.

A few moments of silence took over the finely decorated cave, with lit torches and a few carpets.

Then, a young voice was heard answering from the halls made of rock.

- Yes, Uncle Pterano? – Petrie answered, flying to the cone's base.

- I need you to do me a favor… could you get me the Wind Element? I want to gaze at it… and teach you a few things about it, of course! – Pterano asked, looking down to the younger flyer.

- Of course, uncle! Me go get the jewel right away! – Petrie replied, fly out of the room.

- _**What are you doing, showing the element to one of them…? – **_A voice asked in Pterano's mind. It seemed annoyed.

The flyer gasped as he heard this, and the guards turned to him.

- Get out. I will call you when I need. – He ordered, and the guards flied out of the room, closing the curtains. Pterano waited some time before speaking again. – What do you want?

- _**I want you to stop with these childish games of kindness! Have you started looking for the other Elements?! – **_The voice roared, seemingly scaring Pterano.

- I found and brought the Wind Element from the flyers! Isn't that enough for you from me?!

_**- **__**I gave you a direct way to the throne… You know as well as I do, that whenever I want, I can use your body for my own uses, and even kill you whenever I want… - **_Pterano gulped at this. – _**Therefore… start searching the other Elements unless you wish to die!**_

_**- **_Uncle! Here it is! – Petrie's voice was heard on the other side of the curtains. It was easy to see the young flyer due to the element's green brightness.

- _**We'll talk later, Pterano. – **_The voice finished, fading away.

Petrie passed under the curtain, rolling the green sphere towards the cone.

- Element be really heavy! – He commented, sighing in relief.

Pterano woke from his trance and looked down. He was still shaking in fear, but he flied down the throne and held the Element up.

- Thank you, Petrie… - He thanked, flying back up.

Petrie also flied up and sat on the flyer's leg.

- Will uncle tell Petrie more about the Element, now? – He asked.

Pterano seemed annoyed for a split second, but turned to Petrie with what seemed to be a grin.

- Of course, I almost forgot! Let me tell you then… - The flyer said, clearing his throat.

However, just as he was about to speak, a female, blue colored flyer thundered into the room… Petrie's mother.

- Petrie! It's time to sleep, now! Come on! – She ordered.

- But… Pterano about to tell Petrie about the Wind Element! – Petrie said in a disappointed tone.

- Now, now, Petrie! I'll tell you about the Element tomorrow, when you have rested! – Pterano answered.

Although against his will, Petrie flew down, and both he and his mother flew out of the room.

Pterano was left gazing at the sphere, portraying drawings in green over a wood-like surface, as it shone with a bright green color in the middle of the darkness… the torches' fire had faded away.

- Sshh… Chomper, listen… - Ruby warned. The crowds outside were shouting, and the shouts, from both sides of the street, were approaching their door. – Hide, quick! – She ordered. Chomper didn't question and hid inside a wooden crate that Ruby pushed to under the table, covering the latest with a mantle.

As soon as the mantle was placed, the door was blown apart, and five black knights came in, grasping blood-red blades.

However, Ruby seemed ready to fight back, since she was on the room's corner with her hand held towards the door.

Without hesitating, she quickly whispered a few words and an ice ball was formed in front of her, flying towards one of the knights.

As the ball hit the knight, it was thrown out of the house, flying against a rock wall on the other side of the street.

But Ruby couldn't fight off anymore, as the knights grabbed both her hands and feet and dragged her away, leaving the house empty in a few seconds.

The fast-runner didn't struggle, and simply let herself be dragged away towards the castle.

And that was all for chapter 20! Yes, I know, sorry, three of the characters didn't appear, but please keep reading and reviewing!


	21. Travelers

Chapter 21 – Danger lies ahead with Patricia, Ducky and Spike on their way to Colio, since they still have to cross the Aldium plains. Meanwhile, Karont took over the Luminian throne, and has sent a squadron of knights after the three… and Ruby, who was captured soon after, leaving Chomper abandoned inside the house in town.

Littlefoot, David and the Elder, having been attacked are still wondering around the Licove Forest.

Also, Cera met Kyro, a curious rockback from Lake Bafro. However, the rockbacks still doubt of Cera's personality and whether she is trustworthy or not…

Chapter 21 – The travelers

- Patricia, why don't you just warp there…? – Ducky asked, about to fall asleep on Spike's back.

The three had been crossing the Aldium province since night had set over the kingdom, and had not stopped since a few flyers were spotted soaring the skies, heading towards the Colio Mountains.

- I can't, Ducky, I don't even know how the village is named… I warp to points were I've been, and I've never seen that village before… The spell, Transvectio Veneficus, works with your mind… not with the map. – Patricia calmly answered, seemingly not tired of the long trip.

However, she was tired, and she could feel it in her legs.

Spike, though, was the only one not to get tired: at every ten steps they seemed to make, Spike ate some of the vegetation before going on, leaving noticeable marks in the trail behind them.

Ducky sighed before the answer.

- Why are we going away…? – She asked, placing her head on the spiketail's back and closing her eyes.

Patricia sighed as well.

- Because something is about to happen in the castle, and I don't want to be there to watch…

The answer was the last thing Ducky heard before falling asleep.

- _Do you see the sharptooth?_** – **A curious voice asked outside the crate. Chomper slowly got up and opened the upper part of the box to check things outside.

- _They probably took him with the fast-runner. – _Another voice answered.

Chomper could see that the voices had actually come from two townsmen chatting with each other outside the house. They seemed like ordinary citizens, gossiping around.

However, these citizens entered the house at a slow pace, forcing Chomper to dive into the box again. However, he quickly got up again and kept looking.

- We should probably tell Edward III about this. – One of them said, picking up a small vase and throwing it to the ground, shattering it apart.

The sound of the vase breaking made Chomper gasp and recoil inside the crate again, covering his mouth in hope one of them had heard. He kept silent… and so did the men.

- What do you think will happen to the fast-runner? – One of the men asked.

A moment of silence followed while Chomper turned was readying to open the upper part of the crate again.

- Well… - The other man replied. Chomper slowly opened the box and peeked outside. The two men were facing each other, one of them holding another vase. – I think she'll be killed by arrows if that sharptooth doesn't show up to the king. – He finished, dropping the vase.

Hearing this, Chomper gasped and jumped, moving the table.

- He's in there, get him! – The men shouted, ramming against the table, forcing Chomper to sit against the box, in fear.

They threw the table away and ripped the crate open, revealing a sharptooth that stared at their severe expressions with a scared look.

- Hello, sharptooth! – One of them said with an unusual tone.

- I'm going to enjoy being inside a sharptooth for a change! – The other one said while starting to fade into pure blackness.

- In-inside me?! – Chomper gulped, getting up and running from under the first man's hands.

The second man had turned into something like a shadow with only one eye, a protruding yellow eye that occupied most of the shadow's "head".

- **Don't you stand there, go get him before you transform! – **The shadow ordered to the other man.

The man ran to the streets and looked to both sides. Chomper was nowhere to be seen, and the streets were empty.

- **Where is he?! – **The shadow demanded.

- He's gone, you idiot! While you were there turning all mighty, the sharptooth got away! – The man complained getting inside while waving his arms at the shadow.

- Now, now, my friends… you don't want to be caught, now, do you? – A flyer said at the house's entrance.

The man finally converted himself into a shadow and turned to the flyer.

- **And who are you?**

**- **Rinkus, throw it. – The flyer ordered.

Suddenly, another flyer flew over Sierra's head, holding two golden discs that shone under the moonlight, but that brightness quickly vanished as the flyer entered the house.

He flew around the two shadows in circles, eventually throwing the two discs at the beasts.

After a quick flash, two Statues stood inside the house, Statues holding two townsmen.

- Very good work… We should sell these at a high price… and especially… this one… - He added, lifting up a small Statue over which stood a young Sharptooth, his enthusiastic look frozen into stone over the stand. – Let's go. Bring one and leave the other one there. – Sierra instructed, flying away with Chomper's Statue.

Rinkus scrolled between the two with indecision.

Finally, he took a random one and dragged it to the entrance, picking it up with his paws and flying away as well.

- David, we've been walking for so much time… - Littlefoot grumbled, still by the Elder's side.

The young swordsman looked up. It was night already… and he hadn't noticed either.

- I know, but where's the clearing? – He sighed.

- David… - The Elder gasped, trying to move coordinately. – There's something ahead…

David and Littlefoot exchanged worried looks.

- David, get ready! – The longneck alerted.

- I'm already ready! – David answered, turning forward.

However, just as the young swordsman's heart was as audible as drums, he heard the Elder laughing.

- No, young ones, it is not that… David, could you please cut those bushes down and see with Littlefoot? – He requested.

David frowned at the request, but still, the two advanced and David cut the bushes down, throwing a large of amount of leafs into the air.

Littlefoot eagerly crossed the swarm and gasped at what he saw.

- David… - He gasped, opening his mouth even wider. – We did it! We're in the fields! We made it out of the forest!

The young swordsman was still busy with the leafs, but as he heard this, he crossed the cloud as well and looked around, suddenly stopping by Littlefoot's side.

His mouth opened as his amaze grew, as he gazed upon a wide plain that ended into a valley, a field of verdant grounds and abundance of flora all around.

- Elder! We made it out! – Littlefoot shouted, running back into the woods.

David stood still, gazing at the fields. He had never made it that far… However…

- DAVID! COME HERE, QUICK! – Littlefoot's voice cried out in the woods, scaring a few birds that flew away from the trees.

The young swordsman gasped and grabbed the sword even tighter, run back into the woods as well.

"Not now… we've made it this far…" He thought in a rush trying to find the place where the Elder was before.

However, he couldn't remember in any way, forcing him to shout for Littlefoot's name.

The answer came quick, and David was able to track the place once more, continuing his run through the bushes.

- ARYLINE! – Flago thundered toward the empress.

However, all he managed was a dry blow, as Aryline turned around to shove the protector away.

- What is it, Flago? – She quietly asked, tilting her head to the fallen protector.

- Go to the meeting room and see for yourself!

The empress seemed worried for a moment.

- What is it, Flago? I shall not ask again!

- It's Grandpa Longneck. – Trago answered from behind.

Aryline turned around and saw that the protector was throwing a small sphere from hand to hand, as a ball.

He threw it to Aryline, who left it suspended in the air for a while, before calling it to her hands.

- He's dying, Aryline. – He added.

Aryline's eyes trembled for a split second.

She rotated the superior part of the sphere and rotated the other way around the lower part.

Light began to crept from within the sphere's openings, like a globe.

- Elder… - Littlefoot whispered. – Please, hold on… we're… we're almost in the castle…

The Elder was lying down by Littlefoot. He seemed to have fallen to his side, and even brought down a few trees.

- You know I can't… Littlefoot… - The Elder answered between gasps. – There is… something I need to tell you…

- What? What is it, Elder?!

- Before I join your mother… you and David must go to Luminia Castle… and unsheathe the order… - The Elder requested with cost.

Littlefoot seemed to digest the request…. Literally, as he gulped when he blinked, causing a few tears to erupt.

- You said you were going to join my mother…

The Elder chuckled lightly.

- You will understand it soon, my boy…

- And you can save him. – Trago added. Aryline's look scrolled between Trago and the sphere. – Will you do it? Or let a small longneck get almost orphaned?

For a few seconds, Aryline's look connected to Trago's serious, yet crystalline blue

eyes.

David had finally reached the spot where the two longnecks were.

Littlefoot was by the Elder, nuzzling him as the older one's eyes kept closed. The swordsman sheathed the sword and walked very slowly toward them.

Then suddenly, Aryline raised her left hand with an uncertain expression.

- Statua Muto, Transvectio Veneficus Regnum Imperator! – She shouted before grabbing the sphere with both hands. The sphere acquired a grayish color, and then destroyed itself into dust.

- Goodbye… Littlefoot… - The Elder whispered, raising his head once.

- Wait… don't… - Littlefoot gasped between tears, as the Elder's head fell at high speed.

However, the head didn't hit the ground: in fact, when Littlefoot's eyes opened again, there was no Elder at all.

David shook his head twice. In a second, he was there. In the following, he wasn't.

"What the heck…" He thought, stopping by a very confused Littlefoot that kept moving his head around, searching for the Elder.

Aryline kept petrified, holding the hands in the same position they were if the sphere was still there. Her breathing was barely heard.

Trago moved forward and patted the empress's back.

- You did good. – He whispered, continuing through the halls with Flago.

- What… what happened? – Littlefoot asked, shaking violently.

David only gulped, gazing at the bushes in front of them, dark due to the night.

- He just… disappeared? – David hesitated. – You were… talking to him, weren't you? – Littlefoot turned to David and nodded at the question. – What did he say?

The longneck kept silent and turned to the bushes once more.

- Littlefoot, what did he say? – The swordsman asked once more.

The longneck looked down and closed his eyes.

David hesitated in moving, but stood still.

Ultimately, Littlefoot raised his head again and stared up with a determined expression.

- He said we needed to go to Luminia Castle. – He firmly replied, turning only the head to the swordsman. – And that's where were going. – He completed, facing David in the eyes.

The swordsman faced the longneck for short moments, trying to guess his feelings.

However, all he managed was an affirmative grunt as he unsheathed the sword and the shield.

- Let's go then! We're off to Luminia Castle once more! – The David announced, and the two ran into the bushes again, toward the fields.

The situation could get complicated, though, and both knew that the fields could be dangerous at night. Yet, both pressed forward, and now kept walking into the mist.

- Don't you think its getting kinda late…? – Kyro asked, completely exhausted, falling over his legs, on Cera's back.

Cera gulped as she heard this. She couldn't deny it wasn't dark, but she couldn't deny either that she hadn't found a way out of that miserable lake.

- Maybe we should…

- Turn around? – Kyro piped up, interrupting her.

Although the threehorn was about to answer something different, she sighed and nodded in agreement. She turned around and started walking in the opposite direction, back to where they had come.

"I still don't have a place to stay… what am I going to do…?" Cera thought.

- _**Oh… the poor, fearsome threehorn... she doesn't have a place to stay… - **_The voice coldly mocked.

- Would you be quiet? – Cera thought loudly.

Kyro frowned.

- What do you mean, be quiet? – He asked, confused.

- Hum, nothing, it wasn't for you… - She added, putting up an annoyed expression. – Hum, Kyro…?

The rockback excitedly turned his head to Cera's.

- Yes? – He replied.

_**- **__**Aw, what will the threehorn choose between pride and life? Pride, perhaps?**_

- I'm kinda needing a place to stay… - She hesitated between every word, ignoring the voice. – I can't go back up, you know…

"Oh, who am I kidding with? He's tiny! How can he help me?!" She thought, rolling her eyes.

Kyro digested the request and sighed.

- I'm sorry, Cera, I don't think I can help…

"See…?" She thought, sighing as well.

- Really, I'm sorry… I don't think the rockbacks want you in there for now… and you couldn't get in even if they wanted… - He added, seeing the threehorn's reaction.

- It's ok… - She replied.

"No, its not!" Her thoughts said the opposite.

They had reached the wall where they had met by now, seeing has the distance they had walked before was relatively short.

Kyro jumped down and approached the cave's entrance, but stopped. He turned and faced Cera with a saddened expression.

- I'll try to convince my father in helping you. – He said, going back inside.

Cera saw him in and turned around. The foliage was still there, so she'd have food. The water was probably good too, but… she missed some company. And right now, whether she wanted or not, Kyro was the only one that could be by her right now.

- At least I've got some food nearby… - She whispered, walking into a few bushes and searching something greener than the rotten leafs outside.

The Master followed Ruben into a small room. It had a connection to it through a hall on each wall of the cathedral.

The priests were still chanting, and only the Master followed the young boy into a very poorly decorated room. It had only a small hole covered by a layer of wire that didn't block the cold wind from outside to enter the room, and only a simple, red sheet, looking more like the remains of a flag.

The bed was something like a cavity in the stone wall, with some clothes inside that made the stone slightly more comfortable.

As Ruben got into the cavity, the Master grabbed a small piece of tissue that was inside a crack over the cavity's bed and pushed it, occulting the bed and Ruben with a pattern similar to the wall.

- Tomorrow we'll do our best to resolve your situation and rescue the threehorn. Rockbacks are friendly, but can get very territorial and judging when it comes to foreign species like hers. – The Master said, leaving the room. – Do not worry, relax now. You are in good hands.

After hearing this, Ruben felt a sudden doze, and after rolling on the uncomfortable bed a few times, he eventually made it in falling asleep. The cold that came out of the wire layer wasn't even felt anymore.

Only the priests' chants were left as a sound.

- It's right there… Trilmo. – Patricia announced, reading a sign covered in grass. She turned to the spiketail with a joyful expression, - We're almost there, Spike!

Spike raised his head and smirked at the girl. Patricia would have awoken Ducky, but she left the swimmer sleeping on Spike's back, instead.

With these news, the two continued to head toward the rising smoke in the horizon, where a few houses started to make themselves clear, as well as the mountain that gradually grew as they approached it.

A knight came up a hill to near a cliff as two flyers seemed to approach in the distance.

There was a base camp down the hill, where a few other knights were sitting, apparently talking with each others.

The location seemed much like a desert, an arid land, since only a black tree was on top of the hill, next to the knight.

- Do you have them? – The knight asked as soon as the flyers landed. He didn't take off his helmet, and the mantle on the back kept dancing with the wind. Not too far below the cliff was a sea of clouds that didn't allow the land below to be seen.

- Yes, now give it to us! – Sierra instantly replied, showing Chomper's Statue.

Rinkus landed next, placing the Statue with the man.

- And we brought you this little extra. – He added, showing the statue.

The knight laughed or a few moments, but suddenly stopped and grunted, taking out a small piece of a polished mirror. The piece shone with a red color all around, reflecting the moon slightly.

- Give me those Statues, now. – The knight demanded, pulling his right arm forward to catch Chomper's Statue.

Sierra, however, pulled the Statue back and didn't let the knight touch it. The flyer then grabbed the shard and gave it to Rinkus, who avidly caught it.

- First, you can take the man's Statue… then I'll consider THIS little bonus… - He added, showing the sharptooth's statue again.

The knight grumbled but still, he walked over to the other Statue and pushed it to near the tree.

Then, he faced Sierra, waiting for the flyer to show the statue.

- Will you give me the statue now or not, reckless flyer? – The knight mightily demanded, subtly putting his hand on the sword's hilt.

Sierra faced the knight directly with firm eyes.

- My patience is wearing off. – The knight added.

Sierra seemed to snicker.

- And what patience would you have, little guy? You're just a brat with a sword!

The knight also snickered, turning his head around while laughing.

When Sierra least expected, the knight unsheathed the sword and attempted to slash the flyer's head. However, Sierra was paying some attention, as he dodged the slash.

However, this dodge had a cost.

Chomper's Statue was seen flying away from Sierra, into the cliff, where it fell.

Rinkus gulped and dived, trying to catch the Statue.

However, the flyer could see that the statue had hit many rocks, and had flown away, too far to be caught.

As Sierra and the knight kept looking down, the statue dived into the clouds, getting out of sight.

After seeing this, Sierra took off, followed by Rinkus, leaving the knight standing on the cliff's edge.

- YOU SHALL SEE ME AGAIN! – The knight thundered as he realized the two had flown away, waving his sword as the two flyers disappeared in the dark sky as well.


	22. The end of a long night

Chapter 22 – After the Longneck Elder's disappearance, David and Littlefoot find their way out of the Licove Forest and to the fields… or are they really "fields"…?

Cera is waiting for Kyro's father's decision on her, although it won't be of much help, in her opinion. But will it be that way…?

Also, Patricia, Spike and Ducky reach Trilmo at last, and learn that there is more than a way to climb up the mountain…

Chapter 22 – The end of a long night…

- Watch your step, Littlefoot… It seems we've got a few cracks on the ground… - David warned.

The two were now walking, since the ground had turned from a lush plain to a rocky path, full of cracks.

- I don't I have many problems, but…

- Wha-! – David cried out, suddenly falling on a patch of grass that was luckily in front of him. The mist kept above them, a thick layer beyond which nothing was visible.

Littlefoot turned around to see the young swordsman lying on the ground, furiously grabbing the turf.

- A-Are you ok…? – Littlefoot hesitated between a laugh and a runaway.

- I'm fine… - David answered, still having his face on the grass. He slowly got up and cleaned the dirt off his face, passing by Littlefoot without a word.

The longneck laughed a little before following the mad swordsman into the mist.

- And what's the deal with these rocks? I thought we were in the Prach Fields, not the Rocky Grove! – David muttered, stopping in the middle of a circle of rocks.

- I don't know… I'm sure we were in the right place… - Littlefoot added, walking past David.

However, just as the longneck was about to take another step, the ground broke under his two front paws, forcing to cry out of fear while starting to slide into a large crack hid due to the mist.

- David, help me! – He cried out, trying to move back up.

The swordsman gasped and threw himself at Littlefoot's tail, grasping it while grabbing a rock with his feet.

- I've got you, Littlefoot! Walk back, quick! – The swordsman shouted, pushing the tail.

- I can't! The sand makes me slip! Hurry up! The rock's moving!

- Damn! – David cursed, looking around for something to help. But around him were only rocks, and nothing else besides the mist. – Littlefoot, what's under you? – He inquired.

- How can I know?!

- Just look down! Come on!

Littlefoot gulped and stretched his head to inside the crack, trying to identify the type of terrain under him.

Although, the mist didn't allow a clear view, Littlefoot could hear a rumble, like water on the bottom.

- I think its water, David!

- Good! At the count of three, I'll let go and fall with you! – David replied, letting one hand go off Littlefoot's tail, now grasping the sword's hilt.

- WHAT?! – Littlefoot shouted in surprise, looking back with his eyes wide open.

- Trust me! You'll have to! – David gulped, but kept a firm look into Littlefoot's eyes. – One! – The longneck turned forward, facing the crack's rock wall. – Two! – The sword was heard being lightly unsheathed.

The swordsman stopped his count while Littlefoot was felt shaking violently.

- THREE! – David finally shouted, letting his legs go from around the rock and getting up.

Littlefoot, without something holding him, started to slide down quickly.

- David, where are you?! – He shouted, about to fall.

The longneck now fell, but stopped as he grabbed the edge of the crack with his paws.

- You said you'd help me! – The longneck kept shouting. His paws were starting to slide out.

- Heads down! – David's voice echoed as the swordsman jumped over Littlefoot with his sword unsheathed.

Just when he was about to hit the other wall, he pricked his sword into the stone, staying there, held by the sword.

- Littlefoot, you can fall! There's a ledge just under you! – David shouted after analyzing the fall. – Just let go!

The longneck saw his paws were about to let loose of the edge, so he simply let go of it and fall.

To his surprise, though, the fall was rather quick, as there was, in fact, a large ledge just under him.

After sighing in relief, Littlefoot got up and looked for David on the wall.

- I did i-… - The longneck trailed off after seeing that the swordsman wasn't on the wall, held by the sword. – David…?

- Littlefoot, give me a hand here!

- David!

Littlefoot ran to the edge to see that, in fact, David was hanging there with one hand, not far from falling.

- Give me your tail! – He instructed, holding a hand up.

The longneck didn't hesitate, putting the tail on the edge. David quickly grabbed it and tried to pull up, helped by Littlefoot.

- Almost! Come on! – David kept saying.

Eventually, David made it in raising his leg, and from here on, he simply rolled up, letting go of Littlefoot's tail.

- Are you alright? – The longneck asked, approaching the swordsman.

David sighed in relief.

- Yeah. – He replied, smiling.

Littlefoot licked his face and lied down by David.

- Where are we going now? – The longneck asked, sighing.

- Well, I saw a cave just underneath, if we can reach it, we'll be good… I think we're in Licove Hills… I completely forgot about these mountains after the Licove Forest… - David admitted. – I'm sorry.

- It's ok… - Littlefoot comforted, approaching the swordsman a little more.

Spike groaned in surprise. He heard a sound by him, and he was quite sure of it, as he kept looking around in search of the origin.

- What is it, Spike? – Patricia asked, stopping.

The spiketail groaned again, moving his head towards the grass.

Patricia stopped for moments.

- Oh, you say there's something in there…? - Patricia took the Power Device out and pointed it at the tall grass. – _Ignis Glo-…_

- Stop! You'll burn me out! – A voice cried from inside the grass.

Ducky woke and fell off Spike's back, and Patricia fell back in surprise.

- Who… who are you?! – Patricia gasped, trying to concentrate on the Power Device.

Spike surprisingly groaned in happiness and grinned at whatever was inside.

But he had his reasons: an adult, slightly gray colored spiketail raised up and stood on his four paws in the grass, partly looking surprised by Patricia's attempt.

- How did you know I was going to…

- I KNEW… because I'm a sage! – The spiketail proudly replied. He then turned to Spike and smiled. – Don't think of me rude, but I have been following you ever since you entered the Aldium Fields… I am a sage from Trilmo. My name is Olan. – He introduced himself, seemingly bowing. – I know of you three, as well… You are Spike, Patricia and the little one is Ducky, am I right? – He identified with a smile.

- Olan? – Ducky repeated. – I'm glad to meet you, Olan! I am, I am!

- Yes, I know of your nature, Ducky… And I know that all of you were heading to Trilmo, correct?

- Yes… - Patricia answered, putting the Power Device away. – We actually wanted to go up the mountain…

Olan opened his eyes widely.

- You wanted to go up the mountain…?! – He repeated, shocked.

Patricia didn't understand why the spiketail reacted like that.

- Is there a problem…? – She asked.

- But of course there is! The Evil King Pterano took over the Flyer's tribe and has started torturing any species that tries to climb up the mountain! – Olan quickly replied in a low voice. – Even now, there are flyers all around this zone, searching for strangers… I'm surprised how they even allowed Trilmo to stand near Colio…

Ducky and Spike gulped.

- Can you take us over to Trilmo? We need to rest… we came from the Luminia Castle… - Patricia requested.

Olan nodded in an accepting way and started walking towards the houses.

- Follow me, very carefully… Trilmo was surrounded by cavities and bombs since the sharpteeth were last here. – The spiketail explained.

"Good thing we found him…" The three thought, gulping.

So, they entered the tall grass and followed very closely to Olan, toward Trilmo, a never ending journey, it seemed.

Ruby slowly opened her eyes under the darkness.

She was surrounded by two torches, but their light was dark, purplish, and didn't illuminate the area.

She seemed to be in a cell, and her arms and legs were trapped by chains.

- Where… am I…? – She whispered.

- _Hello, hello… What do we have here…? _– A voice echoed in the dungeons.

Ruby shook her head around, searching for the voice's origin.

- _You cannot see me… I am a shadow…_ - The voice added, laughing afterwards.

- A shadow…?

- _Enjoy your stay, fast-runner… it won't take much longer before it ends…_

- Cera! I'm back! – Kyro shouted, running outside the cave. However, the threehorn was nowhere to be seen. – Cera?

- I'm here, Kyro…

The rockback turned to the bushes nearby as Cera came out, looking very tired. So tired, in fact, that as soon as she reached Kyro, she fell on her left side.

- Are you feeling alright…? – Kyro asked, patting her horn with his own.

- It's obvious I'm NOT feeling alright, isn't it…? – Cera muttered.

- I talked with my dad… he says it's alright for you to stay here in Lake Bafro… but he doubts you'll live much longer if you don't eat anything…

- What a surprise… - She kept muttering.

- So, I'll show you the way out! – Kyro happily added, beaming.

Cera opened her eyes widely.

- You can make me out?! – She repeated.

- Of course! I just need you to follow me up the mountain!

Cera recomposed herself and allowed Kyro to climb to her back.

- Where to, Kyro? – She asked, anxious to leave the place.

- There's a cave big enough for you behind that pillar of rocks. There's a maze there, and after it, you'll be up there! – Kyro instructed.

- Let's go then! – Cera said, walking toward the pillar.

In fact, there was a cave hid behind it, between various rocks, and it had more than enough size for her.

Therefore, she got in, into the dark mist. A warm breeze hit both on the face, and the two started to go up a stairway.

Trago quietly placed a golden sphere over a pedestal in the Infinity Palace's Throne Room, proudly looking at it next.

He then turned around with the intent of going out of the room, but instead gasped in fear as he now faced Aryline directly. The ruler had a furious gaze on her, and was holding her object, the rod.

- Where is Grandpa Longneck, Trago?! – She furiously inquired in a grave voice.

- I dunno, my queen!

- YOU ARE LYING! – Aryline quickly pointed the rod at the protector – Excidium Magice! – She shouted as the protector was blown away by a sudden gust from the rod. – Erguictuo! – She shouted again before the protector hit the wall. She was now controlling the protector in midair. – I will repeat once more. Where is Grandpa Longneck?

Trago gulped and lowered his head.

- He is… He is in the Ice World… inside the temple… - The protector quietly answered.

Aryline's face now showed a worried expression.

- Why did you throw him in there? WHY NOT SIMPLY THE INFINITY PALACE?!

- The Darkness Ruler ordered… - Trago added.

- The… the Darkness Ruler…?! What business have you got with the Darkness Ruler?!

- He promised more power… - Trago kept replying in a famished voice.

- You threw Grandpa Longneck in there, then where is Grandma Longneck?! – Aryline demanded.

- She is in the Luminia Castle… - Grast's voice was heard from behind. – But she is in danger… - Aryline slowly turned around, keeping Trago in the air. – If the Longneck Elder died, it was certainly not an accident…

- What do you suggest, Grast? – The ruler asked.

- I suggest nothing… Karont plans on breaking the seal… He has already gathered two of the wielders he needs… and he is hunting the three other…

- What is he planning to do…?! – Aryline slowly repeated, sparing the spell away from Trago. The protector harshly fell on the ground.

- Karont is planning to throw the Luminia Kingdom and Catalia into the Dark Galaxy once again… And he already has Germana… and Ruby… He shall probably spare Germana, but Ruby will most likely be killed to break it.

Aryline's fear grew.

- …Who else does he need, Grast…?

- He needs only Patricia… Andrea… and most important… Ducky…

Aryline gulped at this.

- Then we should save them… and let a wise longneck die?!

- You are foolish to think that, Aryline… You have not yet understood, have you…? – Trago muttered, recomposing himself. – The invasion has begun…! – Aryline turned and pointed the rod at Trago. – And it will not stop! – Trago finished, leaving only a maniacal laugh echoing as Aryline shouted a spell again and the protector was shoved away against the wall.

David heavily inspired and expired. He was on the ledge's edge, grasping his sword as strongly as he could.

- Are you ready, Littlefoot? – He asked, looking back.

Littlefoot was just behind him. He simply nodded and sighed. David laughed a little.

- Don't worry. Whatever happens, we won't fail our quest to the Longneck Elder. – David calmed, showing a grin.

Littlefoot grinned as well and his fear faded a little.

- Come on, then! – David ordered, pricking his sword into the ledge and climbing down.

In fact, there was another ledge under theirs, and David slowly entered it, taking the sword out of the stone. There was enough space between the new ledge and the previous one for David to stand up, and the layer between the two seemed very thin. There was a cave on the wall, curiously, a maze illuminated by torches. – Start digging! I'll give you a hand from here! – He instructed, using the sword as a shovel and digging on the rock above.

Littlefoot also started digging in the softer spots, seemingly only sand.

- So, Cera… Are you… alone? I mean, did you get lost from your parents, or something…? – Kyro asked, trying to pull in a conversation.

The threehorn hesitated for a few moments and looked up. The ceiling and the floor seemed to start getting closer one to another, and even the torches were starting to get less numerous.

- I'm… I don't know… I have this huge blank on my mind… I don't even remember my own parents… I was adopted by a strange guy in Quiña and… I don't remember anything else… until… - She trailed off, closing her eyes in a very saddened expression. She suddenly stopped.

"Maybe I shouldn't have pushed this conversation…" Kyro started to think.

- Look… hum…

- I didn't know of anything until this voice came to me and told me of my father… - Cera finished, cutting Kyro's sentence.

Kyro allowed a moment of silence to follow, as the two stood immobile.

- Look, Cera… your father is a threehorn, and… - He started. – I think I know where to find threehorns…

Cera opened her eyes and raised her head in surprise.

- You do?! But I thought you never met a threehorn!

- And I didn't, but my father told me of your species… he told me you were from the Trago Province, to the northwest! And guess where we are! In Trago! – Kyro gladly informed.

- Then maybe I can find my father there! – Cera supposed in a cheerful tone. – We've GOT to get up there, now!

- Yeah! Let's do it! – Kyro agreed, jumping in joy.

Cera now ran across the stairways, even though they kept closing, making the path itself shrink along. The light kept fading away too, and the stairs seemed to be forming a spiral as the two journeyed up, now with a new motive: reaching the Trago Province!

- What the hell were ya doin'?! – The knight leader muttered, seeing as the other knight approached the wagon from Pastri.

- I had to take care of a few guys… - He answered, showing a bag full of rubies, emeralds, and other precious jewelry. – And I planted it. No worries.

The leader snickered.

- Good thin'. Climb up, we're getting' outta here. – The leader instructed.

The knight got into the wagon and the leader ordered the horses away, as the wagon departed from the town at a rather quick speed.

The sun cowardly appeared in the horizon, as dawn started to break into the Luminia Kingdom…

However…

A purplish bulb seemed to fly above the Luminia Castle… It was visible from afar…

It was visible now, with the weak sunlight…

And it seemed to grow…


	23. The Dawn of Twilight

Chapter 23 – David and Littlefoot found themselves trapped in the Licove Hills, a mountain range surrounding Licove Forest and their old village, Neast.

Kyro told Cera of how she would be able to find threehorns in Trago, and both head up that way.

Patricia, Ducky and Spike meet Olan, the spiketail sage from Trilmo, and meet the two other sages. However, Trilmo is not as safe as it may seem…

Ruby's life is threatened by Karont, who menaces to sacrifice her for a very dark motive…

Also, a very clumsy "flyer" meets a very distinctive flyer. Will both ally?

Chapter 23 – Dawn of Twilight

_  
Eat it, Spike! Littlefoot said it was good, he did, he did!_

_*groans*_

_Today is not your best day, is it, Spike?_

Patricia approached herself to the lit fireplace, trying to get herself warm. Ducky had fallen asleep again, and so had Spike.

The three had been guided by Olan into Myasu's house. Myasu, apparently, was a human sage in Trilmo, also taking care of a pinkish, very young threehorn. She usually wore a dark blue cloak, covering her silver eyes.

Now, Patricia was sitting on a couch, holding the young threehorn on her lap as she slept quietly.

- She's quite energetic during the day… - Myasu commented, sitting by Patricia.

The young princess smiled and sat back.

- What's her name? – She asked.

- She's Tricia. She was supposed to be in the Trago Province with her parents, but it seems things have gone wild and I found her here… - Myasu answered, picking Tricia up from Patricia's lap and placing her on her own.

The princess, now relieved, looked through the window near her. Dawn had broken already, but the sun was still not visible over the Colio Mountains.

- Olan told me you were heading up the mountain… - Myasu started.

- Yes, we intended to reach the flyers, but according to Olan, it isn't safe anymore…

- Indeed… Pterano rules over the flyers now… He might be trying to break through the birdmen's barriers right now… - Myasu stopped shortly, turning around to the door. – I think its Bron. – She explained to Patricia, putting Tricia on her lap once again.

Patricia nodded and Myasu opened the door, going out and looking around, confused.

- That's strange... I thought I heard something out here…

The woman proceeded onwards, into the fields. Nothing seemed to be there.

Patricia relaxed and sighed, trying to conceal any signs of anxiety.

Ducky sighed as she now curled up by Spike, while the latest stared with a constant grin at Patricia.

Silence was abundant inside that house, exception made to a clicking sound from the fireplace and the roof.

Patricia sighed and relaxed her head back, closing her eyes for a few instants, carried away by the thought of Luminia Castle's situation. With Karont there, things were bond to go wrong…

Then suddenly, a loud shout was heard outside, a cry for help, Myasu's voice, making Spike rashly get up and throw Ducky to the fireplace's metal bars, overheated by the flames of the said fire. Patricia instantly got up, holding Tricia with her hands.

Quickly, she placed the threehorn on the couch and run out with her Power Device in hand.

- What was that? – Ducky asked, climbing on to Spike's back. – I was sleeping so well, I was, I was!

Patricia stood outside and looked around holding the Power Device firmly pointed forward, into the foggy, morning fields. No sight of anything odd, but no sign of Myasu either.

Under a heavy silence, Patricia scrolled the landscape with her eyes.

Ducky beaconed to Spike to walk forward, and so did the spiketail do.

- What is it, Patricia? – The swimmer inquired, tilting her head as Spike stopped by her.

Patricia seemed to suddenly change her attitude, as she turned around quickly with a panicked look and threw Spike – and, consequently, Ducky – into the house again by pointing the Power Device at them.

Before Ducky could do anything, though – not even get up – she saw Patricia being picked up by the arms by something with rather large paws, seemingly flying up and away.

The swimmer quickly mounted Spike and the spiketail ran outside.

- Patricia… - Ducky whispered, watching as the girl was carried away, unconscious, by an almost silver flyer, into the fog that seemed to surround the fields to the north. Spike sadly groaned.

However, the moment didn't last for long.

A large shadow started to emerge over the two, blocking the already faint light emanating from the mist.

- **Now, now, who do we have here…? – **A weighty voice snickered from behind them, as the shadow kept growing.

Ducky and Spike shivered, and she turned her head around in a very slow motion.

She gave out a loud and high pitched scream when she saw a tall, cloaked man behind them, forcing the spiketail to run away in fear over the wet fields, towards the mountain tops visible over the fog.

Ducky looked back as Spike ran away, trying to find the human.

It quickly vanished between the mists, disappearing from sight.

Ducky sighed in relief and turned forward, as they ventured into the unknown mountain.

Tricia blindly stepped outside, looking around and following the two others into the mist with a playful face.

........................

An ash dropped from between the iron bars that blocked an opening on the stone wall, seemingly a window.

They fell over a female threehorn that was passing by, a young threehorn with an orange colored tone, yet lighter.

The threehorn grumbled something and blew it away, turning to a wall near her.

- Ruben… - She called from the other side of the wall.

Not seeing any answers, the threehorn outside it pushed the cover on the wall with her teeth and let go of it, forcing the tile to roll up on a breach over a bed.

The boy inside it shrugged and shook his head, slowly opening his eyes.

- Who is that…? – He slowly asked, getting up and looking out of the bed. – Is that you Cera? – He inquired, blinking various times.

- Cera?! Why are you talking about m…- - The threehorn trailed off, coughing right next. – I'm one of the members of the New Order. Call me Shira. – She explained.

- Huh? You're not… - Ruben rubbed his eyes and looked with a little more attention. In fact there was a different threehorn in front of him. – Oh. Sorry for the confusion. – He apologized, getting off the rock bed.

Ruben looked into her green eyes for a few moments. They were passive for a few moments before turning into a stern look.

- It's fine, but get moving. We've got to get out of here before it's too late. – Shira quickly added in a cynical tone, exiting the room.

Ruben got slightly hit by her reaction, but followed Shira out, into the altar.

"Not Cera, but much alike…" He thought, frowning.

However, his expression immediately changed when he saw what had happened:

Most of the cathedral had been burned away, leaving only the altar standing, along with its tainted glass figures.

Various hands were raised from under the numerous burning logs. Curiously, the hands weren't moving, and hadn't been burned away, unlike the smashed corpses in the ground over pools of blood, burning blood reflecting the flames that still rose high up in the sky, covering the ideally blue sky.

The Master was standing near a young longneck and a human priest, firmly looking at the burned arch that made up the entrance.

Shira joined the longneck and started talking with him, while The Master turned his look to Ruben. Feeling watched, the young boy walked over to the priest.

- What happened here…? – He trailed off, watching the hands with disgust.

The Master sighed.

- Our home… it was burned away… - He answered.

- The knights who left you here must have done this… - The other human added, revealing a rope he had hidden behind his back. He held both hands while holding each end of the rope and walked towards Ruben.

The latest retreated a few steps after seeing the rope.

- Wha-… what are you doing…? – He stammered, walking backwards until he hit a wall.

However, just when he thought the priest would tie him up, the priest simply handed him the rope.

- We are sorry… but you must go to Lake Bafro by yourself… - He apologized, letting the rope go when Ruben grasped it. Shira seemed to gasp at this, and immediately ran to the priest's side.

- What do you mean, he'll go alone?! He's a puny child that doesn't even have a weapon! – The threehorn piped up in an annoyed tone. – If he goes, I go with him!

- What?! – Both the priest and Ruben claimed, astonished.

- She is right. – The Master interrupted, approaching the group. – He cannot go on his own. And Shira seems the appropriate company for him.

The Master then turned away and went up the altar, grabbing a decorative statue on it.

However, as he rotated it, a small cavity was revealed above.

The Master stretched out his hand into the cavity and pulled something out, approaching Ruben once more.

The latest realized that the object was a white bladed sword inside a green scabbard, which The Master handed to the boy.

- Take care… - He wished. – You will see us again.

The boy curled the rope on his shoulder and slowly grasped the scabbard. Ruben slowly raised his watch to meet The Master's cloak.

- I wish you luck, my boy. – The priest added, turning to the longneck. – Lap! It's time to go!

The longneck nodded and both she, the priest by Ruben and The Master walked away into a breach in the wall on the other side of the monastery, disappearing from both the boy and Shira's sight.

- So, where are we go-… - Ruben trailed off, turning his head down and noticing that the threehorn was missing. – Shira? Where did you go? – He called.

- I'd appreciate if you went a little faster, you know? – The threehorn called from the monastery's destroyed entrance arch.

Ruben snarled something in a low voice and ran to the arch with an annoyed expression.

"Too bossy for me…" He thought as the two followed through the ash clouds from the burned houses of Pastri. He kept grumbling about while they kept walking, and Shira seemed to grumble something as well.

..........................

_Chomper… How are you…?_

_I'm okay. I just fell from that rock, it's no big deal._

_Alright… come inside, then…_

Ruby jump awoke as a loud thud echoed through the dungeons, and suddenly, her cell's wood door was opened, and three of Karont's dark beasts slid they're way in through the floor in a misty status.

One of them stopped by her feet and then rose up to reveal a pair of red, glowing eyes just between the fog, gazing into her own.

- _**It is time… Come… - **_The beast announced.

The two other beasts took slightly more solid, human outline shapes, solid enough to hold a couple of keys on their hands.

These two slipped the key into the fast-runners chains and freed her from the cold iron.

However, Ruby didn't fall. Instead, she kept floating, commanded by the Dark Beast's arms, mainly composed by fog. The latest kept whispering, "Erguictuo" in a cold voice.

The beast started to move back toward the door, keeping Ruby under his control.

- _**Your time has come… you shall serve the king… - **_The creature announced, exiting the cell.

Ruby gulped and closed her eyes, expecting the worst.

............

_Humph, stop pushing, Littlefoot!_

_Why don't you stop, Cera?!_

_Don't make me angry!_

_Why? What would you do?!_

- We're nearby, Cera! Keep walking! – Kyro shouted in the complete darkness.

Indeed, the two had proceeded further into the cave… and further into the pitch-black dungeon.

Now, Cera was walking as a blind in the dark, constantly bumping against the walls and stalactites.

- It would be easier if you could tell me where I'm going, Kyro. – She answered in a harsh tone.

- Well, I can't see in the dark, sorry. – Kyro replied, ducking on Cera's back.

Cera continued walking on, bumping a few other times.

Until, she got completely full of getting her head against things and sneered.

- Kyro, hold on tight. – She simply demanded, preparing to charge.

- Wait, what do you me-… - The rockback trailed off as Cera ran at full speed against the first wall that had the unfortunate luck to stand in front of her.

However, unlike what the threehorn expected – bumping against the wall – Cera actually destroyed the wall and found herself and Kyro in a freefall towards a small river with seemingly calm waters.

As the two fell on with high speed – and adrenaline shouts – a rather large wave was sent sailing towards the shore.

Curiously enough, the two landed smack in the middle of the river, leaving a trail of bubbles floating up to the surface as Cera sank in the water.

_Cera, watch out! We're about to fall!_

_No we aren't! We're going to go through this like normal._

_Wait!_

_Aaaah!..._

_CERA!_

- Littlefoot, I think I made it. – David announced, cleaning the sweat off his forehead using his naked arm. He had taken the upper half of the tunic for a better mobility.

- What is it, then? – The longneck asked, approaching the swordsman.

David and Littlefoot had gone into the cave that opened on their ledge, with David excavating with his sword and Littlefoot dragging a few larger rocks out of the way by rolling them.

Not long ago, David had already reached something with his sword, something with a hard material nature that deflected the sword's blade upon another prick.

Littlefoot carefully stood back as David gave the final blow on the sand wall, which crumbled apart into a cloud of sand.

- Stairways. I knew it. – The swordsman commented upon the cloud's disappearance.

A stairway appeared, carved in the stone wall and descending further into the large fissure.

- We should get going. – Littlefoot decided, taking the first steps into the stairs, followed by David.

The swordsman put the upper part of tunic on again, sheathing the sword and following Littlefoot deeper into the cave.

The air turned fresh, and a breeze could be felt from within the cave. An exit was nearby.

Littlefoot looked around, gazing at the runes scripted in the stone walls. They seemed to make no sense at all due to the complexity of the words, which neither him or David could understand.

However, this distraction had a price: the longneck seemed to have made a false step and the ground fell, allowing a roaring sound to be audible from the crack.

Littlefoot froze on the spot, staring at David with a fearful look. David's expression seemed no less encouraging.

- Just… don't… move… - He slowly said, moving only his hand.

He looked over the longneck to check on how far they were from the enlightened part of the cave.

…

- We aren't far from safety. A little more effort and we'll make it. – David told the longneck, pointing at the established spot. Littlefoot nodded at this while slowly turning to it. – On my word, you jump towards it. – He added, making Littlefoot turn his head quickly at the swordsman with a surprised look.

- But what about you?! – He exclaimed.

- I'll be fine, don't worry! – David assured in a firm voice.

Littlefoot gulped and turned again.

- Ok… I trust you. – He confirmed.

David smiled and sighed.

- On three, you jump and run as fast as you can… One… Two… - Littlefoot was now pulling back, ready to charge at full speed. The single number would come, and he would jump. Fearless, powerful, winner. – Three!

The longneck didn't hesitate, now: he propelled himself forward with the fantastic feeling of flight, falling only a few steps from the enlightened cave. The fall, though, made the floor under his paws crumble, forcing him to fall back.

Interestingly, though, he was suddenly pulled forward, into the cave. As he walked, however, he could feel heavier.

Sighing in relief, he took only a few more steps into it before falling over his own legs.

- Eh, that was… - He huffed, raising his neck and looking back. – …great, wasn't it, Dav-…

The longneck trailed off and went from a rather playful expression to a concerned one. The swordsman was nowhere to be seen.

The stairway had completely disappeared, and there was no way David could have bypassed that fall.

- Da-David…? – He staggered, looking around.

That couldn't have been. He was left alone? He was saved by him, promised to be safe, and _he's gone_?

- Please… - The longneck whispered, getting up. However, he felt his tail being held by something. He simply couldn't move it, and therefore couldn't move himself. As he turned to it, a brimming expression returned: - David!

The swordsman was grabbing the longneck's tail, and probably had been the one that had pushed him up again. However, he didn't move.

But that was nothing to be surprised: his face was under a pond of water, originated by the drops from the rocks above.

Littlefoot rolled the swordsman using his head and grinned as David coughed and spat out the water he had managed to absorb during the short period his head had been submersed.

- Are you ok? – He inquired, coughing.

- Yeah. – Littlefoot replied, recomposing himself.

David nodded a few times and coughed.

- Good. – He said, getting up. – Let's keep moving.

Littlefoot nodded and followed David as he took a step.

Unfortunately, this was their last step, as the ground simply crumbled and threw both into a fast water river. The two faded away into shouts of adrenaline and panic, as they were carried away deeper into the mountain.

............................

_Gulp... I'm lost..._

_Ah! What's that?!_

_A flying... gulp..._

- Hmm... hmm... - A greenish flyer-like feathered creature shivered as he flew over the forest.

He closely avoided a rock peak, diving towards the woods again.

He quickly recovered height and started shivering again.

- Oh my... oh my... - It kept whispering, looking around with an anxious, yet scared look.

However, as he turned his head forward again, he entered a cloud and let out a scream, protecting himself with his wings for the incoming.

But, as he covered himself, a flock of flyers passed by him and got out of the cloud, leaving him with some propulsion.

The feathered one uncovered a wing and looked around, sighing in relief.

- They're gone. - He said, laughing. Suddenly, though, he also stopped floating, looking around with a confused expression. He then looked down and to his wings. As he realized the problem, he gulped.

This, though, was the last thing he said – or the last sound he emitted – before starting a free fall into the cloud maze under him, leaving behind a scream of adrenaline and fear while disappearing further into the whiteness.

…

Then suddenly, the fall stopped.

The feathered flyer looked around with a puzzled look.

- Where... why... but... - He staggered, feeling the type of terrain under him was too soft to be rock, and too solid to be a cloud.

- Well, now, are you going somewhere, little fellow? - A voice suddenly asked, an aged voice that left out a small laugh after the question.

- What?! - The feathered flyer exclaimed, ever confused.

- Oh Oh Oh! Sorry for scaring you, my friend! - The voice continued. As the feathered flyer looked back, he saw another head, from under that "floor". He also saw two wings on both of his sides, leaving him a little more confused. - I'm the Hermit of Flyer's Rock! Who are you, my little friend?

The feathered flyer gulped and staggered something.

- I-I'm Guido... Guido. - He repeated.


End file.
